Epilepsy awareness requires understanding the disease and how to connect with others. Personal awareness involves learning about the disease, how to help during a seizure, and understanding any special needs. Spreading awareness includes supporting proposed legislation, attending events, sharing stories, and wearing purple.
Epilepsy awareness requires understanding the disease and how to connect with others who may not know much about it. Epilepsy is one of the best-known seizure disorders, and awareness efforts aim to educate the public about the disease and its progression. The best tips for personal epilepsy awareness include learning about the disease, how it can affect a person’s life, and how to help an epileptic through a seizure when needed. Top tips for spreading epilepsy awareness include supporting proposed epilepsy-related legislation, representing the epilepsy community at local events, sharing a personal story, and wearing purple for epilepsy awareness.
Epilepsy is a disease diagnosed when a person has had at least two seizures with no known cause. Seizures result from an abnormal surge of electrical activity that affects all or part of the brain. There are different types of seizures, and a bystander’s response to another person’s seizure should be dictated by the type of seizure, making education important if you are to respond in the most beneficial way. Personal awareness of epilepsy may also involve understanding any special dietary needs and other lifestyle changes for a particular patient, so that social activities can better meet the person’s needs and be more inclusive. Simply understanding that epilepsy is a medical condition and refusing to discriminate based on a diagnosis of epilepsy is an important step in personal awareness.
Lawmakers often consider bills related to epilepsy awareness. Healthcare reform bills, for example, often contain provisions for pre-existing conditions. Insurance companies often treat epilepsy as a pre-existing condition, meaning people with epilepsy who lose their insurance coverage may not be able to get it back. Funding bills for epilepsy-related projects, such as assistance dog training programs, also come out from time to time. An effective method to raise awareness about this disease is to contact lawmakers and write editorials in newspapers explaining how these bills will affect people with epilepsy.
Some people are not familiar with what epilepsy is and what people with the disease look like. Old wives’ tales, such as swallowing one’s tongue during a seizure, often dictate how people respond to epileptics. Educating the public through booths at local health fairs provides an opportunity to talk to others about the disease and let them know how they can help people who have this disease. Children’s fairs also provide an opportunity to connect with children who suffer from epilepsy. Look for every opportunity to share valuable information with people who want to know more.
Epilepsy is often thought of as a “mystery” disease, so many people don’t realize they might know someone with epilepsy. A person who has epilepsy can raise awareness by talking to others, sharing their story when they get the chance. There’s no need to go into heavy detail, but a person who lets others know they have the condition and answers any questions succinctly and honestly will help raise awareness.
Canadian epileptic Cassidy Megan started Epilepsy Awareness Day in 2008, encouraging people to wear purple on a specific day each year to let others know about epilepsy. Wearing a purple ribbon on this day can give even a quiet person the opportunity to present the condition to others. Having brochures or flyers available to hand out is a good alternative to speaking out, especially if newspapers have relevant website addresses listed for more information.
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