Has anyone been abused because of having epilepsy?

[PhylisFeinerJohnson]

My abuse wasn't physical, it was emotional...

My mother and step-father (a surgeon!) refused to acknowlege I had epilepsy and ignored all the falling, passing out, walking into walls, etc.

My father was a "beater", but he never touched me because I was already "damaged goods." But every time I would have a seizure, my step-mother would scream: "WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?" What a charmer. And she was a psychologist, to boot!

 

[Rae1889]

Well,
for a while my friends didnt belive me because they never understood that the simple things I was doing were seizures. and they would taunt me and make fun of me for "lying". then I had my first tonic clonic in front of them (2 infact back to back) and that shut them up. most of them were in tears because they realized how much they hurt me by poking fun and calling me a liar. they didnt realize that seizures can be silent too. so they thought I just randomly decided to have E.

 

[skillefer]

Oh...that's horrible. sounds like parents being in denial because of a perceived imperfection. I say perceived because I think of things like this as exceptionality. All of us are exceptional.

 

[Nakamova]

I hate to hear about people being made to suffer for their epilepsy. The epilepsy is bad enough! I've had it very easy, no issues with friends or family. It may have helped that I was in mid-30s when I developed it.

 

[McGill]

I have been abused b/c of having it - both emotionally & psychologically. Not only that, I have faced discrimination from all sectors of society b/c of society's choice to make excuses for not learning to cope with something which is fearful for them. Thye have imposed their fears on us b/c they can't control something which isn't theirs to control. Who is sicker - society or us?

 

[PhylisFeinerJohnson]

Would you call them uninformd...misinformed...ignorant...unfeeeling...or pathetic? Happily, we are none of these!!!

 

[McGill]

All of the above!!! There's no excuse for ignorance whether or not one had access to the 'net or not! The medical people were the worst!! They admitted that they were deliberately blocking every opportunity for advancement!

"Ethical dilemmas" - my foot!! They allowed fear to rule rather than learn and allow the student (patient) to become the teacher and the teacher (instructors) to become the students. I knew my limits & I have even had fellow students express reservations about working with me b/c of their fears rather than knowledge!!

 

[PhylisFeinerJohnson]

Well as for docs, I really can't complain. My neurologist saved my life a year and a half ago...

 

[McGill]

Not as much the neurologists for me; they knew that I meant business and that I intended to be very pro-active about my therapy & Rx.