The Most Common Myths and Misconceptions about Epilepsy

Even though medical progress has brought normal living within reach of the overwhelming majority of people with epilepsy, the public’s reluctance to part with the myths and misconceptions of the past still pose a major problem.

Following are six common myths that still linger on, and that the Epilepsy Association of the Eastern Shore wants to erase forever:

1. Epilepsy is contagious
You simply cannot catch epilepsy from another person!

2. You can swallow your tongue during a seizure
It’s physically impossible to swallow your tongue. In fact, you should never force something into the mouth of someone having a seizure. That’s a good way to chip teeth, puncture gums, or even break someone’s jaw.

3. People with epilepsy are disabled and can’t work
People with the condition have the same range of abilities and intelligence as the rest of us. Some have sever seizures and cannot work; others are successful and productive in challenging careers. People with seizure disorders are found in all walks of life and at all levels of business, government, the arts and the professions.

4. People with epilepsy look different
Unless someone with epilepsy is actually having a seizure there is no way that his or her condition can be detected.

5. Epilepsy is a form of mental illness
Epilepsy is an umbrella term covering about twenty different types of seizure disorders. It is a functional, physical problem, not a mental one.

With today’s medication, epilepsy is largely a solved problem
Epilepsy is a chronic medical problem that for many people can be successfully treated. Unfortunately, treatment doesn’t work for everyone and there’s a critical need for more research.

The truth is that epilepsy is a fairly common disorder (there are over 3,000 cases on Maryland’s Eastern Shore alone) that can happen to anybody at any time. In the vast majority of cases, epilepsy should not be a barrier to a normal, productive life. It is too often people’s misconceptions about epilepsy which create the disability, not epilepsy itself.