Welcome to the Coping With Epilepsy forums - a peer support community for folks dealing (directly or indirectly) with seizure disorders. You can visit the forum page to see the list of forum nodes (categories/rooms) for topics.
Please have a look around and if you like what you see, please consider registering an account and joining the discussions. When you register an account and log in, you may enjoy additional benefits including no ads, access to members only (ie. private) forum nodes and more. Registering an account is free - you have nothing to lose!
Life is just a moment away from death. Don't allow yourself to be frozen with fear because you may have a disorder that can take your life at any time. Riva knew this and devoted her life to helping others. She tried every possible treatment from medication, to diet, from detox, to singing bowls, from exercise to yoga. Nothing stopped her and she shared and encouraged others to find their own "cure"
I am proud to say she was my friend. She died on my daughter's birthday. She was alone and had a seizure. Her husband rushed home from work when she didn't answer the phone.
She never let the fact that she had epilepsy stop her, it actually drove her and inspired her. The world was a better place when she was here.
According to the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the main symptoms and signs of depression are the following:
- persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" mood
- feelings of hopelessness, pessimism
- feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness
- loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities that were once enjoyed, including sex
- decreased energy, fatigue, being "slowed down"
- difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisions
- insomnia, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping
- appetite and/or weight loss or overeating and weight gain
- thoughts of death or suicide; suicide attempts
- restlessness, irritability
- persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment, such as headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain
Yep, we got a bum rap. So did a lot of people around us. Not fair. But be kind to yourself. It's normal to feel sad about things. When the sadness lingers for years, or it stops someone from enjoying life it might have slid into depression. That colors everything with blue-tinged glasses and a bunch of other symptoms. You may or may not have depression, but you may find it's worth at least a look.
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=18543
Depression happens in 25% to 55% of people with epilepsy http://www.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/interprob_depress. Most people who are depressed don't even know it. It happens so slowly they don't see the change.
Next time you see your neurologist please mention how you are feeling. The doctor can help, no matter what you are feeling or the cause of it.
<<<big hugs>>>