John-Forrest
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Sure: Look at the history of epilepsy...
Epilepsy is an interesting dis-ease. It has been regarded with either awe and wonder - or with gasping horror! It used to be in certain primitive tribes that it was regarded as either a demon possession or a blessed holy state of the gods! Persons with the seizures were either burned at the stake or worshipped. It was a sign from the gods that the person thus seized that this youth should be apprenticed immedicately to the tribal shaman.
In the nineteenth century, it was an immediate ticket to the lunatic asylum. Or it was regarded by some as a profoundly mystical state of consciousness (though they often kept that to themselves or in secret societies).
It's probably because it's so weird to the onlookers - to see someone twitching around for five minutes frothing at the mouth. There are few disabilities that are regarded with such awe and loathing.
I think I've literally seen people cross themselves when I reveal to them I have seizures. At jobs, they wanted to immediately let me go. At least, I get quite a few raised eyebrows not unlike fear when I tell this deepest darkest secret of mine.
No wonder we keep it to ourselves!
John
Epilepsy is an interesting dis-ease. It has been regarded with either awe and wonder - or with gasping horror! It used to be in certain primitive tribes that it was regarded as either a demon possession or a blessed holy state of the gods! Persons with the seizures were either burned at the stake or worshipped. It was a sign from the gods that the person thus seized that this youth should be apprenticed immedicately to the tribal shaman.
In the nineteenth century, it was an immediate ticket to the lunatic asylum. Or it was regarded by some as a profoundly mystical state of consciousness (though they often kept that to themselves or in secret societies).
It's probably because it's so weird to the onlookers - to see someone twitching around for five minutes frothing at the mouth. There are few disabilities that are regarded with such awe and loathing.
I think I've literally seen people cross themselves when I reveal to them I have seizures. At jobs, they wanted to immediately let me go. At least, I get quite a few raised eyebrows not unlike fear when I tell this deepest darkest secret of mine.
No wonder we keep it to ourselves!
John