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Goals

Some of my goals for writing an essay about living with epilepsy are to inform my audience the

characteristics of epilepsy and that it is not the same as a developmental disability. Many people

can manage living with epilepsy with the right treatment.

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Jonquill Garcia

Margret Walton

English 1010

16 February 2018

Living with Epilepsy

Do you know anyone living with epilepsy?

Before the class ended and right before the episode began. I was sitting at my desk in

math class. My eyes skimmed from the pages in my text book to the clock on the wall. Just one

more hour until class was over, but then, I started getting dizzy. I felt like I couldn’t breathe

anymore, and everything went dark. I woke up on the floor of my classroom. The lights were off.

I was no longer surrounded by my classmates, but instead by my professor and some paramedics.

Is this a dream? Am I sleeping? Epilepsy is not the same as a developmental disability, it is a

neurological disorder.

According to Merriam-Webster, epilepsy is any various disorders marked by abnormal

electrical discharges in the brain and typically manifested by sudden brief episodes of altered or

diminished consciousness, involuntary movements, or convulsions (Epilepsy). According to

Epilepsy.com, epilepsy is a “neurological condition that affect the nervous system” (Epilepsy).

Epilepsy is usually diagnosed after a person has at least two seizures that were not caused by

some known medical condition.

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Many people have been misperceived (Misperceived) that epilepsy is a mental disability

instead of a neurological disorder. Epilepsy is a neurological disorder. A neurological disorder is

any disorder of the nervous system. Examples of symptoms include paralysis, muscle weakness,

poor coordination, loss of sensation, seizures, confusion, pain and altered levels of

consciousness. A mental disorder, also called a mental illness or psychiatric disorder, is a

behavioral or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal

functioning. Such disorders may be diagnosed by a mental health professional. Common mental

disorders include depression, dementia and schizophrenia.

Some health problems or symptoms are seen more often in people with seizures than

in people without seizures. They could be related to the seizures, or they could be due to

whatever is causing the epilepsy. For example, mood problems or changes could be related to

times of seizures or side effects of medicines. Yet, mood problems may also be a separate

problem. The area of the brain causing the seizures may also be causing mood problems.

Recognizing when any of these concerns occur can help you and your health care team figure

out what to do about them.

Most people can manage living with epilepsy. Treatment plan is based on several things

including severity of symptoms, your health and how well you respond to the treatment. Some

treatment includes anti-epileptic drugs, a vagus nerve stimulator, ketogenic diet and brain

surgery. Treatment can help most people with epilepsy have fewer seizures or stop having

seizures completely. Some people need treatment for life. With the right treatment people living

with epilepsy can function in their daily lives.

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Works Cited

“Epilepsy.” Merriam-Wester Dictionary, n.d. Web. Accessed 16 February 2018.

“Epilepsy.” Epilepsy.com, n.d. Web. Accessed 16 February 2018.

“Misperceived.” Dictionary.com, n.d. Web. Accessed 16 February 2018.