Photosensitive epilepsy is a brain disorder causing recurrent seizures, affecting 3-5% of the epilepsy population, primarily in children and adolescents aged 7 to 19. The article discusses the phenomenon of seizure self-induction, particularly how some individuals may exhibit compulsive behavior towards stimuli like television and video games, which are common triggers. Factors influencing this behavior include compulsive tendencies, stress avoidance, and attention-seeking motives, with the importance of understanding the triggers highlighted.

1. What Photosensitive Epilepsy?
21/03/2013

2. What Photosensitive Epilepsy?
Sun Epilepsy disease of the brain, which causes
recurrent attacks (more than two). Seizure due
to abnormal electrical activity in the brain.

3. Epilepsy may be the result of:
• Irregularity in the wiring of the brain
• Umbalance of neurotransmitters (chemical
messengers in the brain)
• Combination of these factors
• In photosensitive epilepsy, genetics also plays
a role.

4. What Photosensitive Epilepsy?
About one in 100 people in the U.S. have
epilepsy. About 3% to 5% of those people have
photosensitive epilepsy.

5. What Photosensitive Epilepsy?
• Children and adolescents aged 7 to 19 are
more likely to have photosensitive epilepsy.
• Girls are affected by the condition more often
than boys.
• But boys tend to have more seizures.
• That's probably because they spend more
time playing video games, a common seizure
trigger.

6. Photosensitive Epilepsy Symptoms
• Television
– Television programs
– London Olympics promotional film incident
• Fluorescent lighting
• Video games
• Web design

7. Conclusion
• The article I found goes into the general phenomenon of seizure self-
induction, but does spend quite a bit of time on photosensitive epilepsy (PSE). It's
a review, so there are plenty of references.
• It first points out the prevalence of PSE, which occurs in between 2-5% of the
population, and approximately 25% of those affected by the disorder are thought
to self-stimulate.
• The article supports the assertion on Wikipedia that developmentally challenged
and "learning disabled" children are most prone to these self-inductive
behaviors, but states that children of normal intelligence and higher may have
developed strategies to avoid getting caught doing so during recorded sessions. It
does not go into much depth regarding adults self-inducing, but tacitly assumes
that adults of normal intelligence would be more likely to understand the harm
that a seizure could bring them.
• There is support for the notion that children with television induced seizures do
try to seek out televisions for this self-stimulation behavior, but the article cautions
that this compulsive behavior may be associated with the seizure activity
itself, and not something the patients are consciously doing, many describe it as
"irresistable."

8. The article lists a handful of reasons that are
commonly thought to promote self-induction:
• Compulsion - whether for pleasure seeking or as a result of
seizure activity
• Willful avoidance of stress or boredom
• Hedonistic motivation - to experience an "aura"/trance or
other pleasurable feelings
• Sense of control - so they can have a "say" over when their
seizures occur, and also so that they can reap the benefits
of the refractory period
• Attention seeking - being the "sick patient" for sympathetic
family members
• Self-treatment - the patient can give themselves a dose of
"convulsive therapy" at will, if this gives them therapeutic
relief of concomitant disorders

9. Reference
1. “What Photosensitive Epilepsy? ” photosensitiveepilepsy.blogspot.com
2. “Photosensitive epilepsy” wikipedia.org/wiki/Photosensitive_epilepsy