Mental Health Resources

Mental Health Resources for Clinicians

The references below were designed and developed by the AES Psychosocial Comorbidities and Interprofessional Care Committees to promote screening and education to address mental health symptoms in people with epilepsy.

These resources are intended for clinicians to use as quick, easy-to-access references for addressing mental health during routine visits with their patients.

 


 

Anxiety

The following information sheets are brief reference documents outlining the features, causes, diagnosis, and treatment approach for anxiety disorders in people with epilepsy. Separate pediatric and adult handouts are available, outlining age-appropriate features and approaches.


Depression

These information sheets were created as a quick reference for clinicians and cover facets of depression, epidemiology, diagnostic considerations, treatments, and resources for people with epilepsy.


PNES for Mental Health Professionals

This information sheet is intended to educate mental health providers on the diagnosis, management, and prognosis of PNES. Tips for managing PNES episodes in a mental health office and in daily life are provided, along with additional resources.

It may be beneficial for epilepsy clinicians to share this document with mental health providers upon referral for PNES treatment.


Screening for Psychosocial Comorbidities

These documents contain quick screening questions for use in routine clinic visits to assess cognition, social problems, and mental health.  Suggestions for further screening or next steps accompany each question.

 

Suicide

The Suicide Information Sheet is intended for all healthcare providers caring for individuals with epilepsy. It includes essential information on prevalence, risk factors, cultural and diversity considerations, demographic and developmental influences, liability issues, evidence-based assessment and intervention strategies, methods for addressing barriers, and resources available for both providers and patients/caregivers.