Police are required to be dispatched with most EMS calls.

• Many people Struggle to maintain employment

• There is a higher rate of divorce and overall loneliness

• There is a higher rates of sexual dysfunction

• Increased risk of suicide (2x–5x higher than the general population)

Other Issues People with Epilepsy Have Encountered:

Emergency-room discrimination — seizures are often mistaken for intoxication, psychiatric behavior, or “noncompliance,” leading to dangerous misunderstandings and delayed care. 

• Fear of SUDEP (Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy) — a rare but real risk that many families are never told about. 

•  Memory loss and cognitive fog — difficulty recalling conversations, names, tasks, or recent events, often worsened by medications or sleep disruption. 

• Extreme fatigue and hypersomnia — overwhelming sleepiness that  is frequently dismissed as laziness. 

•  Personality and mood changes — shifts in irritability, emotional expression, or social behavior caused by seizures, medications, or repeated neurological stress. 

•  Loss of independence — driving restrictions, employment barriers, and reliance on others for transportation or safety. 

These experiences are not universal — but they are reported often enough to matter. Understanding these risks helps you prepare, protect yourself, and advocate effectively.

Knowledge is the first step toward protection, stability, and empowerment.

🌸 Arm Yourself with Knowledge

When you understand the “little things,” you change the big things.

If you consider these “little things”…

1. Taking meds on time

2. Identifying and avoiding seizure triggers

3. Knowing how your period provokes seizures

4. Having a seizure action plan that prevents trauma