The author reports on two middle-aged patients who were hospitalized, one with a clinical picture of psychosis and another with a psychotic suicidal depression. Neither had been previously diagnosed as having psychiatric disorders. One patient's EEG disclosed frequent bursts of spike-wave activity, continuous enough to justify a diagnosis of status epilepticus. No epileptiform movements were discerned, nor was there a history of previous neurological illness. The clinical picture cleared with administration of anticonvulsive medication. The psychotically depressed patient developed acute depressive symptoms following petit mal seizures confirmed by EEG. This patient had experienced brief episodes of 'staring' since the age of five or six. These episodes never interfered with her active life. Her depression responded to anticonvulsive medication but not to antidepressants.