Hiding in Plain Sight: A case of post ictal psychosis with suicidal behavior

Abstract

Postictal psychosis (PIP) is a serious, often unrecognized complication of epilepsy. Early diagnosis and intervention can prevent life-threatening outcomes. We report the case of a 26-year-old woman with childhood-onset frontal lobe epilepsy who attempted suicide, during a postictal psychotic episode, several days after undergoing inpatient video-EEG monitoring. This case presents a real-world scenario with clear guidelines for the on-call neurologist who will need to accurately diagnose and confidently manage PIP with psychotropic medications. Moreover, this case may stimulate discussion about the complex relationship between epilepsy and psychosis.