Epilepsy - Social Problems

Being epileptic has certain implications for one's social life. The risk and result of having seizures affects what one can and cannot do. Here's a list of restrictions from Understanding Epilepsy by Neil Buchanan (precised by me):

• Swimming:
  Don't swim alone.
• Scuba Diving & Springboard Diving:
  To be avoided.
• Bathing:
  Should shower rather than bathe, but if you do bathe, have someone else in the house just in case.
• Showering:
  Tonic-clonic suffers should avoid glass enclosures just in case they fall through it!
• Bicycle Riding:
  If you don't have frequent seizures, then ok (and wear a helmet).
• Horse riding:
  Wear a helmet and ride with other people.
• Climbing:
  To be avoided.
• Cooking:
  A problem if you have a seizure while cooking. Invest in a microwave oven.
• Pillows:
  For people who have sleep-seizures, avoid feather pillows or have no pillow at all.
• Travelling:
  Not much problem, is sensibly done. Avoid free drinks on airlines!
• Driving:
  In most places, if you've had seizures within the last two or three years, you aren't allowed to drive (in New South Wales for example, I require a medical report every year to ok my licence).
• Employment:
  Some occupations are unsuitable for people with epilepsy (e.g. I was told never to be a bus/truck driver, to work at heights, or operate heavy machinery). The restrictions vary from country to country.

Now most of these appear as annoyances more than anything else. But Driving and Employment to pose social problems. Accessibility of facilities in western society is based on a mobile society. That is, it assumes that as an adult you have access to and can drive a car. When allowance is made, it tends to be for people with walking problems (eg. in wheelchairs). Only having access to public transport affects employment, leisure activity, shopping, and even dating. All this can be planned around of course, but it is still a problem.

Some people of course don't mention their epilepsy when applying for a driver's licence. This is pure irresponsibility. You might be fine, but if you do have a seizure while driving, you are likely to cause an accident. I didn't get my licence until I was 30. I hadn't had a seizure since I was 16, but was afraid that if I drove I'd have an accident. Drinking is another problem. The common culture in western society is a drinking one. You drink in a group to be social. Drink/driving is a problem for most people (and irresponsible anyway), but for someone with epilepsy it can be fatal, as it might help to bring on a seizure.

Employment is a similar problem. If you do mention being epileptic in a job interview, then it can count against you with some employers. And it doesn't matter if there is anti-discrimination legislation to counter this, most employers that would be prejudiced against you will find other reasons to excuse them from employing you. And if you don't mention your epilepsy, and then have a seizure, it can be just as bad as driving a car, depending upon the type of employment it is.

There are also varying problems of social stigma, based on the stereotyping mentioned above. And this can be a viscous circle. If you have some learning difficulties it can lead to problems at school. It can take longer to mature socially, meaning you can feel isolated, which further slows down your development. I know this cycle well, because I went through it as a teenager. Nowadays I still tend to be a bit "child like" in nature, but now this is something I cherish.