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Epilepsy should be looked upon as a mental disorder. Its complex phenomena of loss of consciousness and a convulsive reaction is an abnormal muscular expression of strong mental activity. It becomes the habitual abnormal outlet for pent-up mental energy in an individual, with a definitely peculiar mental make-up, who meets unsurmountable difficulties. These difficulties may be purely mental stress or the result of some process of disease which the individual suffers. It makes little difference what the attack happens to be. The body as a living organism resents any form of infringement upon its welfare whether it be a mental or physical attack, or both. This is more readily understood when by careful analysis we study the mental characteristics of the epileptic, comparing it to normal mental activity.
Mental life is primarily teleological. Our inner faculties, that is, our instinct and ways of thinking, feeling, or desiring, come to us when things interest or excite us and they act as the motive power, which, when directed in natural channels, serves to secure our common welfare and safety. These feelings may, however, when improperly directed, find expression in an abnormal manner, and if habitually exercised in this way, may lead to the possessor's destruction.
With such motive force calling for expression, one or more of the following results may be expected; wanting to do or get something, a person may: First, be successful in every undertaking; second, unsuccessful, he may think life is then not worth while, so commit suicide; third, unsuccessful, he may escape the intolerable situation to one made more tolerable in a state of insanity where hallucinations, illusions and delusions play a make-believe part; fourth, wanting to do or get something, he may put forth every reasonable effort. As he ponders and