Category: Dealing with epilepsy

Dealing with epilepsy · Misconceptions · Way too personal

The Biggest Challenge of Epilepsy Isn’t What You Think

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When people think about epilepsy, they usually think about the seizure.

I get it. I have tonic-clonic seizures, and they’re dramatic, unpredictable, and honestly, scary to witness. But what most people don’t see is everything that happens between the seizures—especially at work.

I’ve realized that one of the biggest challenges of living with epilepsy isn’t always the condition itself. It’s the misunderstanding that comes with it.

Telling an employer or colleague that I have epilepsy can feel like taking a huge risk. Not because I’m ashamed of it, but because I never know what they’ll think. Will they see me as capable? Or will they suddenly start questioning whether I can do my job?

It’s frustrating because, before they knew about my epilepsy, my work spoke for itself. My ideas mattered. My experience mattered. Then, with one conversation, it can feel like all they see is the diagnosis.

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The awkward silence after saying â€śepilepsy”
Dealing with epilepsy · Misconceptions

The awkward silence after saying â€śepilepsy”

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There is a strange silence that sometimes appears after someone says the word “epilepsy”.

Not always. Some people react normally. Some ask questions. Some even try to understand. But many simply freeze for a few seconds, as if they suddenly became afraid of saying the wrong thing.

He noticed this years ago.

At first, he thought he was imagining it. Maybe people just needed time to process the information. Maybe they were surprised. But after enough conversations, patterns become obvious.

People suddenly become careful.

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Dealing with epilepsy · Way too personal

Friendship: The Beauty of the “Non-Flincher”

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In many of my previous posts, I mentioned that people often react to epilepsy with fear—not fear for me, but fear that they won’t know how to handle the situation. This fear creates a distance. It makes people treat you like you’re made of glass, or worse, they stop inviting you places because they don’t want the “responsibility” of your health.

However, there is a special category of person I call the “Non-Flincher.” These are the friends who know about the condition and don’t make it the centerpiece of the relationship. They don’t panic if you look a little tired, and they don’t treat a seizure like a scene from a horror movie. If one happens, they simply follow the protocol, wait it out, and then ask if you want a glass of water or to talk about something else entirely.

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Misconceptions · Dealing with epilepsy

The Anatomy of an “Almost” Seizure

Codrin PO

There is a specific kind of exhaustion that comes from the “almost” seizure. In the community, we often talk about auras—those strange, sensory warnings that something is coming. Sometimes they lead to a full event, and sometimes they just… linger.

An aura is like seeing a storm on the horizon. You start the mental checklist: Am I near something sharp? Should I sit down? Who is around me? You prepare for the drop, the loss of consciousness, the total surrender of control. But then, the storm passes without breaking. The “static” in your head clears, the nausea fades, and you are left standing there, heart racing, waiting for a blow that never landed.

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Career counseling · Dealing with epilepsy

Career Counseling: The Disclosure Dilemma

Codrin PO

One of the most frequent questions I grapple with is: When do I tell them? In a job interview, you are there to sell your best self. You highlight your skills, your reliability, and your drive. You don’t exactly want to lead with, “By the way, my brain occasionally glitches and I might need to lie on the floor for twenty minutes.”

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