Few epilepsy cases have clear causes. The most common causes of epilepsy are linked to brain trauma or injury. These include brain damage at birth or from accidents during adolescence, brain tumours, brain infections (eg. meningitis and encephalitis), scarring or 'sclerosis' (hardening) of brain tissue, and strokes. A strong family history of epilepsy also increases the chances of getting seizures.
Certain factors can also trigger epileptic seizures. These include forgetting to take seizure medications, consuming excessive alcohol, drug abuse (such as cocaine and ecstasy), lack of sleep (insomnia) and using drugs that interfere with seizure medications.