Hi Guys,
For today's topic, I wanted to write about something that was very close to my heart.
I wanted to write about epilepsy in general and to share how epilepsy has also affected me for a very long time.
"What is epilepsy?" I hear you ask.
Epilepsy is a condition that can cause a person to have seizures.The seizure can affect how the person's brain works as there are bursts of electrical activity that can stop the brain from working properly for a little while.
People who have epilepsy all tend to have similar symptoms but everyone's experiences are different as the seizure can be different depending on what part of the brain is affected. The symptoms that people may experience before a seizure are:
- Unusual tastes or smells
- Tingling sensation in your arms and/or legs
- Deja Vu (the feeling that something has happened before)
- confusion
When most people hear the word 'seizure' they immediately think of the person falling to the floor and shaking. This is only an example of what epilepsy is. Epilepsy is more than that and there are also different types of seizures a person can have. Some examples are:
- Absence Seizures - is when a person stares into space with a blank expression on their face and becomes unaware of their surroundings. This seizure only lasts second and the person may not even be aware that the seizure has happened.
- Grand Mal Seizure - this is the type that most people know. This is the seizure that causes the person to fall to the floor. The persons muscles then tend to contract and the person may cry out and/or lose bladder control. This seizure can last minutes and the person may have confusion and/or a headache once the seizure is over.
- Simple Partial Focal Seizures - is when the person is fully awake and is also aware of where they are. The person may begin to have a strange feeling that is hard to put into words. Anxiety levels may become intense.
Seizures can be triggered by different things:
- Flashing or strobe lighting
- Feeling stressed
- Alcohol
- Medications
(Picture taken from Epilepsy Action website)
These are only some examples. If you'd like to know more then I suggest reading this page: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/epilepsy/
First Aid
If you ever see a friend, family member or even a stranger having any kind of seizure, and you want to help then I suggest reading this website page: https://www.epilepsy.org.uk/info/firstaid/what-to-do
There are different ways to help people depending on the type of seizure they are having and this website has it all on one page! It's very easy to follow and worth a read!
Remember, if you see someone having a seizure, the best thing you could do is to try to stay with the person for as long as you can. From my own personal experience, just having someone there with comforting words or even just someone giving some reassurance can really help when coming out of the seizure.
Having someone by my side helped me to relax as they kept telling me where I was, who they were and what had happened. (I often get confused after a seizure, which is completely normal, but being made aware of the situation can help to make me feel more at ease and less panicky).
Websites
Having had epilepsy for most of my life, I have often relied on websites for information. A few favourites are:
These website all have great information and support. They all also have their own social media pages and can even be contacted by private message. Please feel free to have a look at the websites and social media pages as they really are helpful.
First Aid
If you ever see a friend, family member or even a stranger having any kind of seizure, and you want to help then I suggest reading this website page: https://www.epilepsy.org.uk/info/firstaid/what-to-do
There are different ways to help people depending on the type of seizure they are having and this website has it all on one page! It's very easy to follow and worth a read!
Remember, if you see someone having a seizure, the best thing you could do is to try to stay with the person for as long as you can. From my own personal experience, just having someone there with comforting words or even just someone giving some reassurance can really help when coming out of the seizure.
Having someone by my side helped me to relax as they kept telling me where I was, who they were and what had happened. (I often get confused after a seizure, which is completely normal, but being made aware of the situation can help to make me feel more at ease and less panicky).
Websites
Having had epilepsy for most of my life, I have often relied on websites for information. A few favourites are:
- https://www.epilepsyscotland.org.uk/
- ://www.epilepsy.org.uk/
- https://www.epilepsysociety.org.uk/
- https://www.youngepilepsy.org.uk
These website all have great information and support. They all also have their own social media pages and can even be contacted by private message. Please feel free to have a look at the websites and social media pages as they really are helpful.
(The Kelpies in Falkirk lit up PURPLE to raise awareness for Epilepsy)
If anyone has any questions regarding epilepsy, or even wants to share their own experience, then please feel free to send me a message, (everything will be kept confidential) and we can have a chat!
Always remember that
- Whether it's you, a family member, a friend, neighbour etc. who has epilepsy just remember that you are NOT alone in this.
- We are NOT Epilepsy Victims. We are Epilepsy Warriors and WE HAVE GOT THIS 😁
Caley 💜
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