Telling Others

I worry about having a seizure. Suppose nobody knows how to help me?

You can make sure your friends know. If you have the kind of seizure where you fall and shake, tell them to clear things out of your way, put something soft and flat under your head, and turn you on your side to prevent choking. That’s pretty straightforward.

If you have the kind of seizure where you seem to be totally out of it, tell your friends to look out for you, to block the way to hazards like a busy street if that’s where you seem to be heading, to explain to others what’s happening and to stay cool, and to stay with you until you’re back to normal. That’s pretty straightforward, too.

I met someone I really like, but I don’t know when to tell him I have epilepsy. When’s the best time?

It depends how often you have seizures. If you have them quite often, you’re going to want him to know early on what to expect and what to do. Think of the shock if he didn’t know. That’s liable to be a bigger turn off than your careful explanation.

If you have very few seizures or none at all, you could probably wait until the relationship is more solid. Either way, there’s no guarantee that he’ll respond well. But if he doesn’t, at least you will know whether he’s worthy of your friendship.