Pros&Cons of epilepsy

I decided to write about the pros and cons of epilepsy. Now you're probably thinking, "There is no way there are any pros in that situation." Let me explain. When getting the diagnosis of epilepsy, there are a lot of congruent diagnoses, whether they be mental or physical.

 A pro of having epilepsy is meeting extraordinary people who understand what you're going through. That is what this support group has done for me. You know you're not alone in the battle you're fighting. Another pro is you will quickly figure out who cares for you when you are at your worst. This includes friends, family, and anyone. Another pro, for me at least, is I have found the right therapist. She doesn't switch topics when I talk about my epilepsy, and she doesn't lecture. I wouldn't have found her if it wasn't for my epilepsy. An amazing pro is becoming in tune with your body. Becoming so in tune that you can feel the aura before a seizure happens. Some people work years to become that present. Let those sink in. The final pro is the most important. If epilepsy has taught me anything, I am so strong and have gotten through 100% of my worst seizures and bad days. It brings out the strength in you.

Now, the cons. I'm not doing obvious cons that wouldn't help anyone. The biggest con of epilepsy is it is extremely stigmatized. Meaning you tell someone you have epilepsy, and they expect that your seizures are on the ground, thrashing around. It is also extremely underfunded. That means for those of us with epilepsy, research on different types, new medications, and other things sometimes doesn't happen.

There are way more pros and cons of having epilepsy, but I'm not sure if you could fit all of them together. -Brooke J