Question:

I have had seizures ever since I was a baby, but wasn`t diagnosed I had epilepsy until I was 7. I am now 20. It seems to me that I would have dealt with my feelings and gotten used to the fact that I have epilepsy, but I haven`t. How can I move on and accept who I am?

Answer:

You are not alone in having difficulty dealing with a diagnosis of epilepsy. Because epilepsy is a common neurologic disorder that affects young people, it can affect important areas of life, such as school, employment, driving and social life. We are beginning to understand how epilepsy affects a persons quality of life.

There are many resources available to you. The best is the Epilepsy Foundation (see weblink below). They offer counseling programs through local chapters that help people learn to deal with epilepsy. To find your local chapter, visit the weblink below. The Epilepsy Foundation also offers the H.O.P.E. mentoring program and also offers tips on the website on how to better live with epilepsy. I strongly urge you to contact the Epilepsy Foundation.

Related Resources:

Epilepsy Foundation Affiliate Search
H.O.P.E. Mentoring Program
Living With Epilepsy
Epilepsy Foundation

For more information:

Go to the Epilepsy health topic.