Is Epilepsy a Bully? 5 Things You Can Do to Help

"Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself." Robert Frost

Is epilepsy a bully? It doesn't discriminate. Epilepsy can affect children, adults, seniors, men and women, people of all races, ethnic backgrounds, religions, and social classes at any point in time.

There are more than one type of epilepsy bully that each of us face. According to The Epilepsy Foundation of Michigan, there are about 20 different types of seizures and about 40 different types of epilepsy. An important step to take is for patients to ask their neurologists what type of seizures they are experiencing and what type of epilepsy is suspected.

What can you do as someone living with epilepsy to help?

Here are five things you can do to help:

• Stand up for yourself. Have hope. Speak in confidence. You may even inspire others to do the same!

• Talk to family, friends, those you trust. Help them understand epilepsy so they can help.

• Talk to your doctor. They can help.

• Avoid anything that could trigger a seizure.

• Get involved. You could be a strong voice in the epilepsy community.