Seizure remission alone does not constitute a complete therapeutic success if comorbid anxiety symptoms impair the functioning of the treated person – a case report

Epilepsy is one of the most common neuropsychiatric diseases in the world. The very occurrence of seizures has a significant impact on the psychosocial functioning of people with epilepsy and contributes to a significant reduction in the quality of life. However, despite good control of epileptic seizures, daily functioning of these people can be severely limited due to coexisting mental disorders, for example anxiety disorders. Only their effective treatment can lead to full functional improvement – in the sense of the possibility for the treated person to achieve the optimal level of personal, family and social functioning available in their specific situation. The article describes the case of a patient who, despite optimal results of anti-epileptic treatment, developed generalized anxiety disorder. Symptoms of anxiety appeared in public places where music was present. After the diagnosis was made, it was decided to prescribe prega­balin – a drug used in the treatment of epilepsy and generalized anxiety disorder – achieving a significant improvement in the patient’s daily functioning.