History Main / ConvulsiveSeizures

This is a common misconception perpetrated in media that a seizure must be a convulsion (the kind where the person completely loses control of their body). Thus, characters will always have these seizures. In fact, there are many different types of seizures, with symptoms that range from simply losing consciousness and staring into space for a few seconds to losing control of a limb but maintaining full consciousness (a Jacksonian, or focal partial seizure), to the full-blown writhing on the ground episodes, and everything in between. This trope probably exists due to RuleOfDrama, as well as a concern that [[RuleOfPerception the audience won't be able to tell]] that someone is having a seizure unless they're convulsing. After that original idea has taken hold, TheCoconutEffect ensures its continued use.

It's also a common mistake that seizures are set off by flashing images, or that all flashing images set off seizures. This is called Photosensitive Epilepsy and it's seen in about 10% of people with epilepsy. While it CAN cause seizures in individuals without epilepsy, it takes a very specific framerate to do so.

This is a common misconception perpetrated in media that a seizure must be a convulsion (the kind where the person loses complete control of their body). Thus, characters will always have these seizures. In fact, there are many different types of seizures, with symptoms that range from simply losing consciousness and staring into space for a few seconds to losing control of a limb but maintaining full consciousness (a Jacksonian, or focal partial seizure), to the full-blown writhing on the ground episodes, and everything in between. This trope probably exists due to RuleOfDrama, as well as a concern that [[RuleOfPerception the audience won't be able to tell]] that someone is having a seizure unless they're convulsing. After that original idea has taken hold, TheCoconutEffect ensures its continued use.

* In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' where the family visits Japan, they happen to see an anime on TV with EpilepticFlashingLights, an obvious reference to the infamous ''{{Anime/Pokemon}}'' episode. Everyone falls down to the floor and has a seizure, except for Homer, who just "joins in". What makes this even more bizarre is that nobody in the family has been portrayed with epilepsy before or after that.

* The disease in ''Film/{{Contagion}}'' causes victims to seize and die, that being said, most of the time seizing is shown convulsions are involved.

* In the latter books of ''Literature/TheVorkosiganSaga'', Miles develops a seizure-inducing condition as a side-effect of having been [[HumanPopsicle temporarily dead]]. He's prescribed a device that can artificially induce lesser seizures to forestall the bigger ones - and the bigger ones are full-blown thrashing-around-bite-your-tongue bad. He has a mouth guard for the small ones just in case.

* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' [[spoiler: Sam has full-body seizures when the wall in his head blocking his memories of hell comes down.]]

* The fourth book of Literature/TheSwordOfTruth has Cara writhing after a mental attack.

* In "The Reigate Squires," Literature/SherlockHolmes has a convulsive seizure (referred to as a "nervous attack"), the explanation for this being that he had been under a lot of strain and had only just recovered from an (unspecified) severe illness. [[spoiler:We later learn that Holmes faked the seizure in order to stop a conversation that might jeopardize the case, fooling even Dr. Watson.]] This is [[JustifiedTrope justified]]: Aside from [[spoiler:the seizure being faked anyway]], "The Reigate Squires" was set in 1887, when even a medical professional wouldn't have known very much about seizures (much less an author).

* Appears in ''Film/{{Control}}'', though it's appropriate as the film's based upon a true story.