absence seizure

a type of generalized seizure, formerly called petit mal seizure, in which the individual abruptly ceases activity and cannot afterward remember the event. The absences usually last from 5 to 15 seconds, during which the individual is unresponsive and motionless, staring blankly. Seizures of this type typically begin between ages 4 and 12 and rarely persist into adulthood.

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Psychology term of the day

February 23rd 2025

metaworry

1. persistent worry about one’s own thoughts and cognitive processes.

2. a negative metacognitive process in which one worries about one’s own worrying and about its potentially harmful effects on oneself. According to British psychologist Adrian Wells, who first described this process in 1994, it contributes to the development of generalized anxiety disorder.