If I had a Euro for every time someone suggested a “lifestyle change” to cure my epilepsy, I could probably fund my own research lab. We’ve all heard it: “Have you tried yoga?” “Maybe you should quit gluten.” “Is it just because you’re stressed?”

While sleep and stress management are vital tools for any chronic condition, there is a dangerous misconception that epilepsy is a failure of discipline. It frames a neurological disorder as a lack of “wellness.” When people offer these tips, they are often trying to be helpful, but they are also trying to make sense of something scary. If it’s just about “stress,” then it’s something they can control. If it’s a random electrical storm in the brain, that’s much more unsettling.