Lauren's Story: Socialising with epilepsy

Hi! 

My name is Lauren and I’m a Young Rep for a charity called Young Epilepsy. I’m going to talk about having and managing a social life whilst having epilepsy. When having a social life, I think it’s very important that you have good and understanding people around you that are aware of your epilepsy. For example, flashing lights can be a concern at concerts, theatre shows and at cinema screenings, so finding out beforehand any details is a good idea. Epilepsy can be isolating at times, but you can still enjoy yourself. I like to go out to events and spend time with close friends when I can. I try not to let the condition stop me from having fun. It's very important to stay in touch with close friends and be open and honest. You can just take things at your own pace and tell your friends when you’re not feeling well. Also having good rest before going to an event is ideal as you then feel like you can enjoy yourself more. But Epilepsy shouldn’t stop you from having fun. you just have to be more aware and careful.

I also like to go to events where a lot of people know me and I know them as that’s a lot easier. My top tips for managing a social life with epilepsy is:

• Carry extra medication with you just in case of emergency.
• Always be around people that know you so they can help you if you feel unwell.
• Keep important contacts numbers on paper just in case your phone battery runs out.
• Always carry your phone with you.
• Make sure that you have a good time yourself as well.