You’re scrolling through a feed, maybe TikTok or X, and suddenly it’s there. A video of someone having a seizure flashes across your screen. Your stomach drops. It feels intrusive, maybe even terrifying if you've never seen one in person. But for millions of people living with epilepsy, these videos aren't just "viral content." They are clinical tools, educational moments, and sometimes, a call for help.
Seizures are messy. They are unpredictable. Most people think a seizure always looks like a "grand mal"—the shaking, the foaming at the mouth, the dramatic fall. But that’s just one type. Honestly, seeing it captured on camera can be the difference between a doctor guessing a diagnosis and a patient getting the right medication.
Why doctors actually want to see a video of someone having a seizure
Neurologists often face a massive hurdle. Patients come in and say, "I felt weird and then I woke up on the floor." That tells the doctor almost nothing. When a family member records a video of someone having a seizure, they are providing a literal roadmap of the brain’s electrical misfiring.
Dr. Joseph Sirven, a neurologist at the Mayo Clinic, has often noted that witness accounts are notoriously unreliable because people are—understandably—panicking. They forget which arm moved first or if the eyes rolled. A video doesn't forget. It captures the "semiology," which is basically the physical manifestation of the seizure. Was it a Focal Impaired Awareness seizure where the person just stares? Or was it a Generalized Tonic-Clonic event? The treatment for these can be wildly different.
If you're the one holding the phone, you might feel guilty. Like you should be doing something else. But if the person is already safe on the ground, that recording is a medical record. It's vital.
The dark side of viral seizure videos
We have to talk about the ethics. It's complicated.
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Social media algorithms don't have a moral compass. Sometimes a video of someone having a seizure goes viral because of "clout" or "shock value," which is deeply dehumanizing. Imagine waking up from a neurological crisis only to find out 2 million strangers watched you at your most vulnerable. That’s a nightmare.
Then there’s the "fake" seizure trend. Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) is a real, documented condition where people have "pseudoseizures" or psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES). These aren't "fake" in the sense that the person is lying—their brain is legitimately distressed—but the electrical activity is different from epilepsy. On platforms like TikTok, creators sometimes get accused of faking seizures for views. This creates a toxic environment where actual patients feel they have to "prove" their illness. It's a mess, frankly.
What you are actually seeing: Breaking down the movements
When you watch a video, the movements usually follow a pattern. It's not just random thrashing.
- The Tonic Phase: The body goes stiff. This is usually when the person falls if they were standing.
- The Clonic Phase: This is the rhythmic jerking. It's the part that looks most violent in a video of someone having a seizure.
- The Post-Ictal State: This is the "aftermath." In many videos, you'll see the person looking incredibly confused or even combative. They aren't being mean; their brain is essentially "rebooting" like a crashed computer.
It’s important to realize that some seizures are silent. You might see a video of a child just staring into space for ten seconds. That’s an absence seizure. No shaking. No falling. Just a temporary "pause" in consciousness. These are often missed by teachers and parents for years because they don't look like the Hollywood version of a seizure.
The "First Aid" mistakes everyone makes
If you're watching these videos to learn, pay attention to the bystanders. Half the time, they are doing it wrong.
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Stop putting things in people's mouths. It's a myth that won't die. You cannot swallow your tongue. It’s physically impossible. When people stick a spoon or a wallet into the mouth of someone having a seizure, they usually just end up breaking the person's teeth or getting their own fingers bitten.
Don't restrain them. Don't move them unless they are in immediate danger (like in the middle of a street). Do time it. If you see a video of someone having a seizure that lasts more than five minutes, that's a medical emergency called Status Epilepticus. It can cause permanent brain damage. Most seizures end on their own in 60 to 90 seconds.
Why some videos are "Triggering" (Photosensitive Epilepsy)
It’s a bit ironic, but sometimes the very platform hosting a seizure video can cause one. About 3% of people with epilepsy have photosensitive epilepsy. Flashing lights, certain geometric patterns, or even the "flicker" of a low-quality video can trigger an event.
The most famous instance of this wasn't a viral video, but the 1997 "Pokémon" incident in Japan, where a specific flickering sequence sent hundreds of children to the hospital. Today, most major social platforms have settings to "limit repetitive patterns" or "reduce motion," but they aren't perfect. If you’re posting a video of someone having a seizure, it’s common courtesy to put a trigger warning (TW) at the start, especially if there are bright lights in the background.
Real-world impact: The story of the "Seizure Dogs"
You’ve probably seen the videos of service dogs reacting before a seizure even happens. These are fascinating. Scientists are still debating whether the dogs smell a chemical change (like a "scent" of a seizure) or if they pick up on tiny behavioral cues that humans miss.
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In these videos, you'll see the dog nudge the person, bark for help, or even lie underneath the person's head to prevent them from hitting the floor. Seeing a video of someone having a seizure where a service dog is present is one of the best ways to understand the life-saving bond between these animals and their handlers. It turns a scary medical event into a masterclass in biological synchronicity.
How to handle seeing this content online
If you stumble across a video and it upsets you, that’s normal. Our brains are wired for empathy. However, if you are a caregiver or someone looking to educate others, here is how to use this content responsibly:
- Check the source: Is this a medical professional explaining the event, or is it a "fail" video? Avoid the latter.
- Look for the "Aura": Some videos show the moments before the seizure. The person might smell something weird or feel a sense of "deja vu." This is actually the start of the seizure.
- Focus on the recovery: Watch how the person is treated afterward. Are they turned on their side? (They should be). Is someone talking to them calmly? (They should be).
Actionable steps for the next time you encounter a seizure
Knowledge is useless if you don't use it. If you find yourself in a situation where you are witnessing (or filming for medical reasons) a seizure:
- Stay Calm. Your panic will make the situation worse once the person wakes up.
- Clear the Area. Move chairs or sharp objects.
- The "Lateral Recumbent Position". Basically, roll them onto their side once the shaking stops. This keeps the airway clear in case they vomit.
- Record if Safe. If you are not the only person there, start a video. Focus on the whole body. Note the start time.
- Stay Until They Are Lucid. Do not leave someone who just had a seizure alone. They might try to walk into traffic or fall. Wait until they can answer basic questions like "What is your name?" or "Where are we?"
Watching a video of someone having a seizure shouldn't be about voyeurism. It’s about demystifying a condition that affects 1 in 26 people at some point in their lives. When we stop looking away in fear and start looking with a clinical, empathetic eye, we become a lot more helpful to the people who actually live through it every day.
Next Steps for Education
To further your understanding, research the difference between "Focal" and "Generalized" seizures. Understanding that a seizure can look like a simple "lip smack" or a "fumble with clothes" can help you identify a medical crisis in a coworker or friend that others might mistake for intoxication or daydreaming. Always consult with a board-certified neurologist for specific medical advice or if you suspect you have experienced an undiagnosed event.