How each of us expresses our sexuality is unique and depends on many factors including gender, age, sexual orientation, cultural background, life experiences and medical factors. Epilepsy can have effects on sex, and sex has effects on epilepsy. Many people with well controlled epilepsy have a comfortable, satisfying sex life. Having a supportive partner who provides emotional closeness, as well as sexual intimacy, is perhaps the greatest asset in helping people with epilepsy feel positive about themselves, which in turn improves seizure control. Sex can release stress, and help relax people, thereby reducing seizure frequency.
People living with epilepsy frequently encounter sexual difficulties.
These can be due to the epilepsy itself, the medications used to treat the illness, or due to reactions of partners and others to the diagnosis of epilepsy. One of the commonest sexual effects of epilepsy is the decrease or loss of desire. This is variable depending on the type of epilepsy a person is dealing with. Erectile dysfunction is also a common problem for men with epilepsy. These is less scientific literature about the effects of epilepsy on women's sexuality, but desire changes appear similar for women.