So what is Isolation?
What is Isolation?
Living through a pandemic, isolation has become part of daily life. It’s a word we’ve heard over and over in the past 18+ months, and may associate with being physically alone. But you can feel isolated in a room full of people. As a young person with epilepsy, isolation is a feeling you may know well. You may choose to isolate and not socialise – or you may feel that isolation has been forced upon you. Either way, you probably feel like you’re the only one going through this. Are we right? But you’re not alone.
How does it affect people with epilepsy?
Sometimes isolation is triggered by a fear of potential embarrassment. Does the thought of having a seizure in public or a social setting make you want to avoid parties, theatre trips, sporting events and large gatherings? Or maybe you’re worried about your friends and family being stressed looking after you while you have a seizure? Sometimes the guilt and fear of what others will experience witnessing your seizure can prompt isolation too. Isolation can be just as hard to deal with as seizures themselves.
Social isolation is often caused by stigma, or someone else’s prejudice and perceptions of what you can and can’t do when you have epilepsy. You may feel left out or excluded from social activities simply because others don’t understand epilepsy. But we can change that, by educating others. You know that epilepsy doesn’t define you and it shouldn’t limit your opportunities.
