History Main / ConvulsiveSeizures

* In the sixth and seventh ''Literature/WarriorCats'' arcs, Shadowsight has convulsive seizures that often come with visions. In at least one instance the other characters are told they must hold him down, but [[WorstAir this is not recommended in real life]] as it can cause injury.

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 single limb but maintaining consciousness, 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.

* ''Franchise/SailorMoon'' has Hotaru (Sailor Saturn) go through seizures in which she clenches her chest and falls to her knees. This is actually because of [[spoiler: Mistress 9 controlling her]].

* 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.]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Metal Gear Solid 4 Guns of the Patriots}}'' has a scene near the end of Act 1 [[spoiler: in which Liquid Ocelot shuts down the nanomachines in everyone's bodies, causing their bodies to react violently, including Meryl (who foams at the mouth) and Snake himself]]. Later on in Act 2, [[spoiler: Naomi Hunter gives Snake a serum for when that very effect occurs again (after a lengthy explanation of why everything went chaotic in Act 1, saying "which is why you're having the seizures"]].

* In ''Literature/TheFourGospels'' [[note]] More specifically, the Gospel of Luke, who was supposedly a first-century doctor [[/note]], UsefulNotes/{{Jesus}} [[HealingHands cures]] a young boy of convulsions, which afflicted him frequently. [[MaybeMagicMaybeMundane The convulsions are described in the text as]] being caused by DemonicPossession, but [[ScienceMarchesOn most modern scholars]] think it was a case of UsefulNotes/{{Epilepsy}} or another seizure disorder.

[[folder: Tabletop RPG ]]
* ''TabletopGame/{{Shadowrun}}'' supplement ''Man & Machine: Cyberware''. If Cerebral Booster bioware is seriously damaged, the person in whom it's implanted will suffer epileptic seizures with convulsions.
* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' 3.5's ''Unearthed Arcana'' (a big book of variant rules and related design philosophy) has [[http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/campaigns/taint.htm rules for]] "[[TheCorruption Taint]]," powerful evil that has a physically and spiritually corroding touch. One of the potential side-effects of too much accumulated Taint is "uncontrollable seizures that wrack the body with spasms." It's an update to the Taint rules in the 3rd Edition ''Oriental Adventures'' book, which based it off of the idea of Shadowlands Taint in ''TabletopGame/LegendOfTheFiveRings''.
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* In Literature/TheFourGospels [[note]] More specifically, the Gospel of Luke, who was supposedly a first-century doctor [[/note]], {{Jesus}} [[HealingHands cures]] a young boy of convulsions, which afflicted him frequently. [[MaybeMagicMaybeMundane The convulsions are described in the text as]] being caused by DemonicPossession, but [[ScienceMarchesOn most modern scholars]] think it was a case of UsefulNotes/{{Epilepsy}} or another seizure disorder.

* In Literature/TheFourGospels [[note]] More specifically, the Gospel of Luke, who was supposedly a first-century doctor [[/note]], {{Jesus}} [[HealingHands cures]] a young boy of convulsions, which afflicted him frequently. [[MaybeMagicMaybeMundane The convulsions are described in the text as]] being caused by DemonicPossession, but most modern scholars think it was a case of UsefulNotes/{{Epilepsy}} or another seizure disorder.

* he first book of Creator/TadWilliams's ''Literature/{{Otherland}}'' series involves a child having a seizure. Someone asks him about some pretty lights and before you can blink, he's on the ground foaming at the mouth.

* Averted on ''TheYoungAndTheRestless''. Victor Newman, a longtime character, has been diagnosed with temporal lobe epilepsy (which they portray accurately), which produces seizures that involve blackouts and hallucinations over convulsions.

* Dex in ''HomeAndAway'' develops seizures after a brain injury. He spends most of a day dizzy and having trouble with balance, words, focus and perceptions before finally full-body seizing.

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

* he first book of TadWilliams's ''Literature/{{Otherland}}'' series involves a child having a seizure. Someone asks him about some pretty lights and before you can blink, he's on the ground foaming at the mouth.

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* ''Series/Hannibal'' averts this with Will having an absence seizure. Helped by the fact there's both a psychologist and a [[TheWatson civilian]] present to allow the audience to understand what's going on.

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

* In ''ToBoldlyFlee'', after Spoony is put in a device by [[MadScientist Doctors Block and Tease]], he begins violently convulsing as some sort of energy build-up is detected in him. When it's finally over, [[ItMakesSenseInContext he shoots a burst of energy from his mouth]].

* In an episode of ''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.

* In an episode of ''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. What makes this even more bizarre is that nobody in the family has been portrayed with epilepsy before or after that.
** The episode offended lots of people with epilepsy - not only because of the episode shown causing seizures, but because Homer ''doesn't'' have a seizure; he just 'joins in' then... He doesn't have a seizure because he's an idiot.

* The disease in ''{{Contagion}}'' causes victims to seize and die, that being said, most of the time seizing is shown convulsions are involved.
* In the film of ''TheTwelveChairs'', the main character twice fakes an epileptic fit by lying on the ground and thrashing his limbs about.

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 that have symptoms that go from simply losing consciousness and staring into space for a few seconds to losing control of a single limb but maintaining consciousness, to the full-blown writhing on the ground episodes, and everything inbetween. 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.