Hello. I'm sorry to hear that your mother and your family are going through such a difficult time. From what you've described, her symptoms are significantly affecting her daily functioning and have continued despite several months of treatment. While dissociative (non-epileptic) seizures can be treated, it's very important to first ensure that the diagnosis is accurate, as episodes with prolonged unresponsiveness and persistent seizures may require further neurological and psychiatric evaluation. Since there has been little to no improvement despite treatment, I would recommend seeking a comprehensive assessment at a specialized center such as NIMHANS or another multidisciplinary hospital where psychiatrists, neurologists, and clinical psychologists can evaluate her together. Additional investigations, if indicated, may help clarify the diagnosis and guide treatment. Recovery varies from person to person and depends on the underlying cause, how long the symptoms have been present, and the treatment approach. Many individuals benefit from a combination of appropriate medication (when indicated), psychotherapy, stress management, and family support. However, it isn't possible to predict a specific timeline without a detailed assessment. Until she is evaluated, please ensure her safety during episodes by removing nearby objects that could cause injury and avoid restraining her forcefully. If an episode lasts unusually long, she has difficulty breathing, sustains a serious injury, or this is a new or changing pattern of symptoms, seek emergency medical care immediately.

I'm sorry your mother and your family are going through this. Daily episodes for 6 months are understandably distressing. If she has been diagnosed with dissociative (psychogenic non-epileptic) seizures (PNES), these episodes are real and involuntary—they are not under her conscious control. The fact that her hallucination-like symptoms have improved suggests that the medication may be helping some symptoms, but the persistence of the daily seizure-like episodes indicates that her treatment plan likely needs to be reviewed. It is also important to ensure that the diagnosis is correct, as epileptic seizures and dissociative seizures can sometimes appear similar.

Hi, Yes—this condition can be treatable, but given the **daily 20-minute episodes despite 5–6 months of treatment**, the diagnosis should be **re-evaluated** to confirm whether these are truly dissociative (psychogenic) seizures or another neurological condition such as Epilepsy. A comprehensive assessment at a specialized center like National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences is a very good idea, where neurology and psychiatry can evaluate her together, often including **video EEG monitoring**. Recovery time varies widely—from months to longer—depending on the underlying diagnosis and response to appropriate treatment, so a specialist reassessment is the most important next step. If she develops prolonged episodes with injury, difficulty breathing, or new weakness afterward, seek emergency medical care immediately.

Dissociative seizures are psychosomatic in origin. The subconscious and deep rooted psychological changes need to be addressed along with neuromuscular changes. It needs to be treated in a holistic approach for complete recovery. It can be well treated with counseling sessions and homeopathic medicine effectively and without any side effects. Allopathic medicines have lot of side effects and addiction. You need an expert psychologist who is a good homeopathic physician.

Dissociative seizures are involuntary physical expressions of deep psychological distress. Medication alone cannot cure them; targeted psychotherapy is required to heal the underlying nervous system imbalance.

Thank you for sharing your mother’s condition. It must be very distressing for both your mother and your family to witness these episodes every day. Living with uncertainty about her recovery can understandably create stress and anxiety for everyone involved. Since the episodes have continued despite treatment for several months, it would be advisable to seek a second opinion from a multidisciplinary team. You may consider NIMHANS, Bengaluru, or another tertiary neuropsychiatry centre where both a neurologist and psychiatrist can evaluate her together. In some cases, additional investigations (such as EEG or other neurological assessments) may be needed to confirm the exact cause of the episodes. Recovery depends on the underlying diagnosis. Some conditions improve with appropriate medication and psychological treatment, while others require longer-term management. Because your mother has shown some improvement in the voices and shadow-like experiences but not in the seizure-like episodes, a comprehensive re-evaluation would be appropriate. Until then, ensure she takes her medications as prescribed, try to prevent injuries during an episode, and keep a record of the frequency, duration, and any triggers, as this information will be useful for the treating team. I hope she receives the right evaluation and treatment soon. Dr Namita Ranjan Counselling Psychologist

Dear concerned, This condition is treatable, but it needs a proper re-evaluation—rule out neurological causes and consider trauma-focused therapy along with psychiatric care. A detailed assessment at a specialized center like NIMHANS can help guide the right treatment plan and recovery may take time but improvement is possible.

There are consistent symptoms I would recommend to get detailed assessments from NIMHANS and the condition can be manageable. With the help of a psychiatrist and Psychologist improvement can be seen.

You can connect with psychiatrist

Persistent symptoms despite treatment suggest the need for a comprehensive reassessment. A detailed reassessment at a specialized neuropsychiatry center like NIMHANS would be advisable