UK-wide charity Epilepsy Action surveyed almost 700 people who suffered from epilepsy to explore how they felt about talking to others about their condition. Amongst those who were surveyed:
- One in five (19%) people said they felt uncomfortable or very uncomfortable talking about their epilepsy with friends.
- One in seven (14%) felt uncomfortable or very uncomfortable talking about their epilepsy even with their family.
- One in four felt uncomfortable talking to work colleagues. The top three reasons people gave for feeling uncomfortable talking about their condition were:
- Fear of discrimination (or being treated differently)
- Concerns that people don’t understand epilepsy
- Feeling embarrassed.
Respondents who were not seizure free were more likely to indicate that they felt uncomfortable talking about their condition, especially in a work setting. Worryingly, three quarters (75%) of people who did not feel comfortable talking with their employer, and were not seizure free, said that they feared they would be discriminated against.
The findings come in the run-up to Purple Day, the global awareness day for epilepsy, celebrated on 26 March each year, .having been created in 2008 by nine year old Cassidy Megan, a Canadian girl living with epilepsy. She thought of the idea as a way to dispel the myths surrounding epilepsy and raise awareness in a positive way. . The event will see purple-themed fundraisers taking place all over the UK, as well as several landmarks turning purple to mark the event.
Philip Lee, chief executive at Epilepsy Action, said: “It’s frustrating to hear that many people with epilepsy feel embarrassed talking about it, and worry that they will be discriminated against if they do. Epilepsy is certainly nothing to be embarrassed about and these findings highlight why days like Purple Day are so important to those living with epilepsy. The more we talk about epilepsy, the more we can challenge common misconceptions about it and offer the general public a clearer idea of what epilepsy is. We really hope Purple Day inspires people to share and talk about their epilepsy so that more people can begin to understand the condition.”
Epilepsy can be a symptom of many medical conditions including:
- Head injuries
- Infections like meningitis
- Brain tumours
- Subarachnoid haemorrhages
- Strokes
- Birth injuries,
- Or problems with the brain developing during childhood.
– See more at: http://www.brainandspine.org.uk/epilepsy?gclid=CNeUhpLB28sCFc0y0wodosYAhA#sthash.g7ryJ44L.dpuf
People with epilepsy can have varying types of seizures which can display different symptoms. These can range from momentary absences to longer seizures where they can experience convulsions and lose consciousness. The type, length and severity of the seizure depend on the extent of the abnormal electrical activity and the particular part of the brain affected.
For more information on epilepsy please visit:
http://www.brainandspine.org.uk/epilepsy?gclid=CNeUhpLB28sCFc0y0wodosYAhA
If you would like more information about Purple Day and living with epilepsy, visit:
or call the Epilepsy Helpline Freephone 0808 800 5050.
