Offended Epileptics...

[Bee91]

How many people get offended when you are called 'an epileptic' or being 'epileptic' instead of 'having epilepsy' or anything along those lines?

I had never thought of that until I was doing a project for school about epilepsy and was reading about the word 'epileptic' and it said it was an offensive term. I never really get offended when people call me an epileptic...because I am...it's a medical condition..But I do understand where it is coming from and I do get irritated when people (mostly stupid teenagers) scream whenever there are flashing lights "ahh!! I'm going to have an epileptic seizure!!!"

[forward2007]

It doesn't really bother me. It has to have some name.

[speber]

I don't like dragging it out into a longer description when 'epileptic' or 'epilepsy' alone would cover it!

I really dislike hearing the word seizure...probably because it comes in the form of "Honey, you just had a seizure"....

...and 'epileptic' or 'epilepsy' cover that whole topic just fine.

[Bee91]

My parents stay away from the term epilepsy. They simply say 'seizure disorder'. I don't understand why. I think it is embarrasing for them to say 'epilepsy'...but to me...it's easier t to say epilepsy(less words )

I hate when my mom asks if I'm about to have a seizure...She'll say it like she is embarrased to be around me...Under her breath she'll go "You're not about to have one of your.... *then she looks around to make sure no one is else is looking at us when we are out in public* .....spells are you?"

[brain]

Doesn't bother me ...

Epileptic is actually an old terminology,
a Person with Epilepsy is deemed as
"politically correct".

But then again, I've been called a lot
of names ... Just don't call me late
for dinner!

[RobinN]

I just don't like labels that stop others from looking at the whole person, or those in the medical field that see it as a brick wall.

[montse]

I always say about it, that I am epileptic, sometimes there are people that joke about it, and I think it is offensive, once in tv a humorist made a joke about it, and the following program he said he was very sorry about it, there were thousands of calls about it.
And now there is a "journalist", that many times uses the word epilepsy in offensive ways, he was also "very sorry" but he still uses the word in stupid sentences.
Ah, about the ones who tell in the disco "I am going to have a seizure" it would be a good solution to put a rectal stesolid

[stringbean]

Maybe, when I first started having the seizures, it may have offended me slightly, just because at that time I didn't know anything about E other than as I was told, you did this and then that and went out then woke up not knowing much and are ok now. My uncle and brother started having them before me and I never saw them having one or was told much about theirs. I now take no offense to these terms, I do have epilepsy and I am epileptic, I have learned soooooooooooooo muchhhhhhhhhhhhh more to this day about E mainly due to the E boards I have found and read so much about it and other peoples experiences and knowlege about it.

[lovies10323]

It only bothers me when people say "fits" or when they say it like it's a virus you can catch. Like "She has epilepsy" saying that I am Epileptic is like saying I'm Diabetic. I can feel where Bee91 is coming from though about family asking you you if you're gonna have a seizure. That just adds stress. If I feel it and I know it...I'll let ya know.

[Nancy]

lovies, my husband calls my seizures only "fits". I beg, I scream, I cry, I plead but nothing makes any difference..... seizures are fits.
He says he's doing that "just for the fun of it... the fun of it", and my stupid objections show how overly sensitive I am and how I look for trouble and want pain while he just wants to have fun.
Oh, silly me.

[brain]

lovies, my husband calls my seizures only "fits". I beg, I scream, I cry, I plead but nothing makes any difference..... seizures are fits.
He says he's doing that "just for the fun of it... the fun of it", and my stupid objections show how overly sensitive I am and how I look for trouble and want pain while he just wants to have fun.
Oh, silly me.

Nancy, are you sure my ex and your hubby aren't
related? My ex used to be like that! *sigh*
My son would tell me after when I was all back in
sync again (normal), and letting me KNOW how
much he didn't appreciate of "Oh there she goes..."
like I was some sort of a whale.

I don't know where these folks get the idea in
their heads - but of all things; One thing that
bothers both my son and I is the comment that
he would make....

"Oh she just does that to get attention..."



(excuse me for yelling)

NOW IF I WANTED TO GET ATTENTION,
I'LL TAKE ALL MY CLOTHES OFF IN FRONT
OF EVERYONE AND JUMP UP AND DOWN
LIKE A MENTAL WHACK, AND GRAB A
CHAIN SAW AND THEN RUN AROUND THE
NEIGHBORHOOD LIKE JASON (or is that
Freddy Kruger - I get those two mixed
up) ... AND TERRORIZE THEM ... NOW THAT'S
GETTING ATTENTION!

GRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!


*** Special Note ***

Please do not do the above post, it will
only land you a free ride in the back seat
of a police cruiser and into a very special
hospital or special hospital IN jail.

[Bee91]

[size="3"]

"Oh she just does that to get attention..."



(excuse me for yelling)

NOW IF I WANTED TO GET ATTENTION,
I'LL TAKE ALL MY CLOTHES OFF IN FRONT
OF EVERYONE AND JUMP UP AND DOWN
LIKE A MENTAL WHACK, AND GRAB A
CHAIN SAW AND THEN RUN AROUND THE
NEIGHBORHOOD LIKE JASON (or is that
Freddy Kruger - I get those two mixed
up) ... AND TERRORIZE THEM ... NOW THAT'S
GETTING ATTENTION!

Oh man! I know exactly what you mean! I went to a pyschologist for a while when every doctor swore to me that my seizures were non epileptic, she told me that I was FAKING seizures for attention!!!! My head just about exploded that day. I told that psychologist that if I wanted attention, I would get up on a table a start clucking like a chicken!-your way of getting attention is much more creative though

[Meetz1064]

I don't get offended by the term "epileptic" as such.......but I DO get offended by the way some people say it to me......including my own mother.......even though she DID stick up for me, and didn't stick me in an insane asylum as a kid.....like the doctors wanted her too......saying "epileptic" to me as if I am a leper or something is the QUICKEST way to tick me off.......And that's REALLY NOT a pretty sight!!!

[Kate]

I don't get offended by being called "epileptic" at all. Or by saying I have a "seizure disorder" or saying I have "epilepsy" or anything.. However, what does REALLY get to me, is what my dad does..

He likes to make fun of me and bug me in any way he possibly can. For instance, he will repeat everything I say, over and over, and when I ask him to stop (even if I ask nicely) I will get cursed at.

He calls my seizures "spazz attacks" and makes fun of me for them quite often. He also doesn't think I should tell anyone I am epileptic, as it makes me look bad for our family or something.

As for him making fun of me.. In fact, one day at lunch on the cruise, at a table full of strangers, none who knew I had epilepsy of course, dad said something about one of the flashing lights causing a seizure, and starting making fun of them.. I was fighting back tears. I coldly said "Epilepsy is NOT something to joke about." Then, I got straight up from the table and left.

I haven't even had epilepsy for a year, and to me, it's not really anything I am comfortable with him joking about. It's still so new and so shocking to me. It really hurt my feelings. I could cry just thinking about it.

[Bee91]

I'm sorry about that, Kate.

I've had epilepsy for about a year and a half now and my parents and siblings like to joke about my epilepsy. It took me a while for me to get used to all of the teasing. My siblings would go as far as to fake seizures in front of me and then laugh hysterically...It's embarrasing and hurtful.

I have learned to joke with them about my seizures, but there is a time and a place for that. We had to simmer down the jokes as well.. There is also a time to be serious about it...

[epileric]

I had classmates that would fake seizures too. They thought it was hysterical.

[skillefer]

...being a teen and having friends do that to me too. They don't know how hurtful it is. The funny thing is, they wouldn't do that to someone in a wheelchair.

As for being offended by the term, I can't say that I am. But then again, I am not "epilepsy". It is a part of me...it makes me unique to some..but it's not the totality of me. It's like saying that my hubby's food allergies are him. Nope. He's a wonderful person that happens to have a few food allergies. I'm a person that happens to have seizures. So no...I don't get offended. It's easier for people to have a term that covers everything.

[RobinN]

I am so sorry Kate. I wish you could put your dad on the line here and listen to what some others are dealing with. What a shame he is so simple minded.
It is awful being a teen and dealing with this disorder in a fish bowl.

It may be easy but it doesn't seem to be right to me, to cover this disorder with a word like epileptic. There is no one word that covers people with heart disease, or migraines.
It is something that happens to them, not something that they "are". If you "are" an epileptic how do people see you as anything other than that? If you have a seizure disorder then it is something that you are working to correct.

I am still working this out in my mind, as I see a light at the end of the tunnel, rather than a brick wall.

[spinnymommy]

I'm a recovering alcoholic (sober since 1982), I have diabetes and I have epilepsy.

So I am an alcoholic - diabetic- epileptic.
I guess I am just an "icky" person.

[tinasmom]

I think that because of the stigma still attached to Epilepsy, the phrase seizure disorder seems to not scare people. Years ago they thought people that had seizures were demon possesed and they also called them fits. There are still people that think you cannot live a normal life if you have E. The problem is lack of education and understanding. Yes, it is not easy to watch someone go through a seizure knowing there is nothing that you can do. I think this is why it scares people. Nicole tells people that she has Epilepsy and has seizures. I don't ever want her to be ashamed of E.