23 - The impact of epilepsy on relationships

Summary

For there is but one veritable problem – the problem of human relations. We forget that there is no hope or joy except in human relations.

antoine de saint exuperyWind, Sand and Stars

Patricia Gibson is at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in the Department of Neurology. She has provided information and referral services for people with epilepsy through the Epilepsy Information Service at Bowman Grey Epilepsy Center. She has also served as an advocate for people with epilepsy and has been deeply involved in educating nurses and social workers about epilepsy and the medical and social services helpful to people with epilepsy and their families. Early on, Ms Gibson recognized the special needs of women with epilepsy and organized one of the first national courses on this topic. In this chapter, she writes about how epilepsy may impact the important relationships in a woman's life – parents, partners, children, and friends. Ms Gibson offers practical advice to make certain that epilepsy remains something that a woman has, and never becomes something a woman is.

MJM

Epilepsy can have a significant medical, social, psychological, and financial impact. It can upset the equilibrium of the family system, affecting everyone in some way. Because epilepsy often begins in childhood, the patient's formative years may be drastically altered by the reactions of the family, school, and peer group to this disorder. A chronic illness of any type has significant impact on the lives of all the people it touches.