Epilepsy: 9 Cringeworthy Questions (that Empatica Embrace Users Have Been Asked)

It might be our friend, spouse or colleague posing these strange curiosities. They are usually well-intentioned, but lack information or have been misinformed.

To be fair, it can be scary to know how to react for someone who doesn’t fully understand epilepsy.

Instead of taking offense, it’s actually a good opportunity to teach them and get rid of the myths surrounding epilepsy.

Here are some questions fellow Embrace users have been asked, along with suggestions on how to respond:

1) Do you always have “those” seizures where you flip around and foam at the mouth?

• There are many different types of seizures. Some are convulsive and generate a lot of movement, while others exhibit very little or even no movement.

2) Can you have sex if you’re epileptic?

• Seizures during sex are quite rare, however, it’s possible that certain medication might decrease your desire, so it’s important to discuss this with your doctor. You can certainly enjoy sex despite epilepsy.

3) Do you have “epilepsy” or a “seizure disorder”?

• Having a seizure does not always mean that you have epilepsy. If you’ve had a seizure, the best thing to do is speak with your doctor to get a proper diagnosis. There are two different types of seizures: epileptic are recurrent and aren’t triggered by any significant event or condition. These can be classified as a seizure disorder or epilepsy. The other kind are nonepileptic. They are caused by another condition that aggravates the brain, such as an infection or a response to a drug. Small children may have nonepileptic seizures when they have a high fever called febrile seizures.

4) Did you have a “fit” or an “episode” today?

• There are many different ways to refer to seizures. Some call them “fits”, but it sort of carries the image of a temper tantrum, so it might be best to avoid this one. Another term is “episode” which makes one think of a meltdown. The most accurate term is just plain and simple “seizure”.

5) Is epilepsy related to demon possession?

• Really? C’mon, this is not the Middle Ages!

6) How do you not swallow your tongue during a seizure?

• Well, it’s not too difficult because swallowing your tongue is physically impossible. This has, for one reason or another, become an old wives’ tale and led many people who witness a seizure to try and stick something in the mouth to prevent them from swallowing their tongue. You really shouldn’t do this, you could end up injuring their teeth or gums.

7) Do you have to eat only soft foods because you are at a choking risk?

• Food is an important part of health, regardless of whether you have epilepsy or not. You just need to pay attention to when you have seizures after eating certain types of foods so that I can later discuss them with my doctor.

8) Are your parents epileptic too?

• Most children of people with epilepsy usually do not inherit it or have seizures. It’s actually quite difficult to pinpoint the cause of epilepsy. It could be as a result of an injury, genetic, or some unknown cause.

9) But, you don’t look like you have epilepsy …

• Ummm….thanks I guess. Epilepsy is actually more common than you might expect, and it doesn’t mean that you can’t live life at your highest potential. In fact, Prince had epilepsy and so does Neil Young.

So, we hope that the next time you face a similar type of question or comment, you’re able to address it, or at least have a good laugh from its sheer absurdity.

That’s all from us. Are there some questions that we missed? What’s your reaction to these questions? Share your thoughts with us writing an email to support@empatica.com.

Best from us,

Empatica Team