Patients must consult a good surgeon; other courses are _useless_.
Psychic or Mental Epilepsy is a trance-state often occurring after attacks of _grand_ or _petit mal_, in which the patient performs unusual acts. The epileptic feature is the patient's inability to recall these actions. The complaint is fortunately rare.
The face is usually pale, the eyes staring, and there may be a "dream state". Without warning, the victim performs certain actions.
These may be automatic, and not seriously embarrassing--he may tug his beard, scratch his head, hide things, enter into engagements, find the presence of others annoying and hide himself, or take a long journey. Such a journey is often reported in the papers as a "mysterious disappearance". Yet, had he committed a crime during this time, he would probably have been held "fully responsible" and sentenced.
The actions may be more embarrassing: breaking something, causing pain, exhibiting the sexual organs; the patient may be transported by violent rage, and abuse relatives, friends or even perfect strangers; he may spit carelessly, or undress himself--possibly with a vague idea that he is unwell, and would be better in bed.
Finally the acts may be criminal: sexual or other assault, murder, arson, theft, or suicide.
In this state, the patient is dazed, and though he appreciates to some extent his surroundings, and may be able to answer questions more or less rationally, he is really in a profound reverie. The attack soon ends with exhaustion; the victim falls asleep, and a few moments later wakes, ignorant of having done or said anything peculiar.
We usually think of our _mind_ as the aggregate of the various emotions of which we are actually _conscious_, when, in reality, consciousness forms but a small portion of our mentality, the _subconscious_--which is composed of all our past experiences filed away below consciousness--directing every thought and act. Inconceivably delicate and intricate mind-machinery directs us, and our idlest fancy arises, _not by chance_ as most people surmise, but through endless associations of subconscious mental processes, which can often be laid bare by skilful psycho-analysis.
Our subconscious mind does not let the past jar with the present, for life would be made bitter by the eternal vivid recollection of incidents best forgotten. Every set of ideas, as it is done with, is locked up separately in the dungeons of subconsciousness, and these imprisoned ideas form the basis of memory. _Nothing is ever forgotten_, though we may never again "remember" it this side the grave.