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People are more than a medical condition – the seizures are epileptic, not the person.
- Epilepsy is not selective. It can affect anyone at any time.
- Epilepsy is not contagious. It never has been and it never will be.
- Some people with epilepsy are extremely clever, others are of average ability and there are some with learning difficulties.
- Epilepsy is not a mental illness. Seizures are merely symptoms of a physical problem in the brain.
- Epilepsy is not necessarily an inherited condition. It can be genetically inherited but more commonly there is no family history of epilepsy. We are currently in an era where our understanding of the genetics of epilepsy is rapidly increasing.
- Epilepsy is not always a lifelong condition. Many people who have been seizure free for three or four years have their medication very carefully withdrawn under close medical supervision and remain seizure free for the rest of their lives. Surgery can sometimes be successful in eliminating certain types of seizure.
- Epilepsy does not have to be a barrier to success. Many people with epilepsy enjoy highly successful lives.
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Seizures do not necessarily injure the brain. There is no evidence to suggest that short single seizures cause permanent brain damage.
A prolonged seizure, lasting over 30 minutes (also known as Status Epilepticus), might, however, injure the brain.
Epilepsy can effect woman in many ways, find out about contraception, fertility and pregnancy.
Getting the diagnosis of epilepsy can be daunting or confusing, so MREA have put together a comprehensive guide to keep you informed.
As early as 2080 BC, Hammurabi, King of Babylon, made mention of it in his laws. Then, as now, it assumed both medical and social importance.