How do you lead your life, when with little or no warning, your awareness is snatched away? Sometimes there may be a subtle and brief warning called an aura. The aura is the beginning of a seizure but with retained awareness. It is like catching a whiff of an unseen beast that one knows is about to strike, yet is powerless to avoid it. One may then end up on the ground, losing consciousness, potentially injured, usually confused, and sometimes incontinent. How does one create a life despite this predicament?

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that can significantly impact a person’s quality of life, causing unpredictable and disruptive seizures. This is specifically true for young individuals with epilepsy who struggle with social isolation, anxiety, and depression and have difficulty coping with their condition. They may also face stigma or discrimination due to misconceptions about epilepsy.

These challenges can lead some young individuals with epilepsy to turn to alcohol, smoking, or recreational drugs to cope with their emotions or escape their problems. Unfortunately, these behaviors can have negative consequences on their health and well-being. For example, alcohol use can interfere with the effectiveness of epilepsy medication and increase the risk of seizures. Smoking can interfere with medication and worsen lung function. Recreational drugs can be dangerous especially for individuals with epilepsy, as they can increase the risk of seizures and potentially lead to drug interactions with epilepsy medication.

It is important to note that not all young individuals with epilepsy turn to alcohol, smoking, or recreational drugs. Rather, some potential factors are what contribute to this behavior.

Young individuals with epilepsy must seek support from healthcare professionals and loved ones to help them cope with their condition and avoid negative coping mechanisms such as substance use. Counseling, support groups, and other resources may help manage the emotional and social challenges of living with epilepsy.

According to Philip J. Kurle, M.D., “I often refer to a seizure as an electrical storm in the brain. The storm can be small or big. Nevertheless, it invariably requires courage and perseverance and often plain stubbornness. Family support, social support, spiritual faith, and medical care can all be of immense benefit but, unfortunately, are not available to all who deal with epilepsy. There is limited public understanding. If I may say, even many general physicians may have a limited understanding of epilepsy.”

People with epilepsy who misuse alcohol are more likely to experience seizures, which highlights the need to reduce alcohol use and maintain sobriety. If you have epilepsy and want to detox from alcohol, it’s crucial to seek medical assistance for the withdrawal process can lead to seizure activity.

Livier Guadalupe describes the subjective experience of her seizures in detail in her book, Life Comes as the Wind Blows. More importantly, she conveys the experience of having epilepsy and what it has meant for her day-to-day life. The very term seizure, to be seized, suggests something of the sudden and unexpected nature of the condition. Once one learns about her detailed experiences, one can try to implement some safe practices to overcome their triggers. Reading a work like this can go a very long way in recovering from epilepsy.

Grab a copy of Life Comes as the Wind Blows. The book is available on Amazon and Barnes & Nobel.