Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders and it affects people of all ages-I am one of those people. Epilepsy comes from the Greek word  epilēpsia, which literally means seize or attack, and the modern day definition is, "seizure disorder." It is characterized by different types of unpredictable electrical disturbances in the brain, and it can cause other health problems like neurological problems (which may have caused the epilepsy in the first place), heart or breathing conditions, anxiety, depression, or other mental health conditions, and some cancers. Epilepsy is a spectrum condition with a wide range of seizure types, and controls vary from person-to-person. Many people often misunderstand the tough challenges people with this disorder face. Here's my story:

I was eight years old and living a happy life. I was talking to my family when I had my first experience. They had no idea what was happening and neither did I. I could experience seizures when I slept, walked anywhere, ate or drank anything-pretty much any time.  I was so upset I cried a lot,  but that only made my condition worse. In order to get diagnosed, I went to the doctor five times. The first was to get my blood tested. The second was to get my first preventative prescription, but I was back in the doctor's office three weeks later. The medication hadn't worked and my Epilepsy got worse, so I was prescribed a second dose of pills. This medication lasted a month, but I was back to the doctor's a fourth time for my final dose.This prescription stopped working this year, so I found myself  telling the doctor that I was now getting headaches from the pills. So along with my medication for Epilepsy,  I take pills for my headaches. 

Looking back, I remember waking up in the morning  and before I could take my meds,  I would go weak in the knees and fall to the floor. I don't remember being able to hear, see, talk, or feel anything, and this happened before I was on both prescriptions. My Epilepsy has subsided now, and I have been able to carry on like I don't have this disorder. 

Epilepsy is a scary thing that 1.2% of U.S. population suffer from.  3.4 million people nationwide have active Epilepsy, 65 million people across the globe have active Epilepsy, and 1 in 26 people will develop Epilepsy at some point during their lifetime. However, most Epilepsy can be treated with medicine. 80% of people with Epilepsy can control their seizures this way, but the other 20% cannot. If you ever experience strange sensations,  periods of unusual behavior, twitching in your arms or legs, or you lose consciousness, see your family doctor right away.

~Skylar