This chapter focuses on the experience of a nurse when working with children and adolescents with Non-Epileptic Seizures (NES). Young people today have challenges on many levels, and for some, the total load becomes so great that they develop “seizures” for which a biological cause cannot be identified. Young people who develop NES have often been overloaded for a long time, many describing family problems, long-term bullying problems, exclusion or problems at school. The nurse is also increasingly meeting young people who struggle to adapt to youth culture. They are exhausted from trying to find a balance in their lives—a balance between achievement and rest, between their own needs and society’s demands, between “what the mind wants” and “what the body can tolerate.” Some come from families who have strong ideals that are not compatible with youth culture. This can result in a loyalty conflict that seems impossible to solve.
Value Orientations and Quality of Life