Would you recognise a seizure?

Most people think they’d recognise a seizure. Most people are wrong, and that isn’t their fault.

In films, TV and even news reports, we usually only see one seizure type: the classic “fall to the ground and shake” image.

These are tonic‑clonic seizures. They are real, serious and scary. But they are only one part of a much bigger picture.

If we only recognise one seizure type, we miss many others. That means people don’t get help, don’t get diagnosed and don’t get the support they need at home, at work or in public spaces.

Seizures Are More Than One Image

The International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) updated their categorisation in 2025 to include 21 distinct seizure types.

That number alone tells us something important:

• Epilepsy is not one single experience

• Seizures can look and feel very different from person to person

• You cannot always “see” a seizure in the way you might expect

  
  

When we only picture tonic‑clonic seizures, we erase the reality of millions of people who live with other seizure types every day.

Tonic‑Clonic Seizures: Dramatic, But Not the Only Story

Tonic‑clonic seizures are often seen as the “classic” seizure:

• Loss of consciousness

• Stiffening and jerking movements

• Often a fall, sometimes injury

• Confusion and exhaustion afterwards

  
  

Speaking from my own personal experience with tonic‑clonic seizures, they can be frightening, traumatic and life‑altering. They deserve to be taken seriously.

But focusing only on them creates a dangerous myth: that if someone isn’t shaking on the floor, it “can’t be a seizure”. That simply isn’t true.

Other Seizure Types You Might Miss

Here are just two examples of seizure types that are often overlooked:

Absence Seizures

These can look like:

• “Daydreaming” or staring into space

• Brief pauses in conversation

• A few seconds of unresponsiveness, then carrying on as if nothing happened

  
  

They’re easy to dismiss as someone being distracted or rude. But for the person experiencing them, they can disrupt learning, work, safety and confidence.

Focal Seizures

These can involve:

• Sudden changes in awareness or emotions

• Repetitive movements (like picking at clothes, lip smacking, fiddling)

• Confusion, fear or a sense that something is “off”

  
  

From the outside, it might look like someone is anxious, intoxicated or behaving oddly. In reality, they may be having a seizure and need understanding, not judgement.

Why This Matters

All seizure types:

• Impact people’s daily lives

• Can be traumatising and exhausting

• Deserve proper diagnosis, treatment and support

  
  

When friends, families, colleagues and professionals only recognise one seizure type, people with epilepsy are more likely to:

• Be misunderstood or dismissed

• Go longer without a correct diagnosis

• Miss out on reasonable adjustments at work or school

• Feel unsafe in public spaces

  
  

Better awareness literally makes people safer.

What You Can Do Next

• Learn: Remember that there are at least 21 recognised seizure types, not just one.

• Notice: If you see behaviour that seems “off” or repetitive, consider that it might be a seizure, not a choice.

• Share: Talk about this with friends, family, colleagues and managers. The more people know, the safer we all are.

  
  

If you’re an organisation, HR leader or manager and want your workplace to be safer and more informed about epilepsy, I provide training, workshops and consulting tailored to your team.

You don’t need to be a neurologist to make a difference. You just need to know that seizures don’t all look the same.