Any neurological disorder or disease is worth discussing during an era of progress and prosperity. A society that focuses on growth cannot do away with a properly educated mind. We need both good medical facilities that are easy to get to and a society with a lot of healthy empathy to help people who are hurting. Epilepsy Awareness Month 2022
The society we live in today refuses to provide acceptance for certain individuals. This providence is what is required to live a balanced and healthy life with everyone.
To do this, we have to be kind and patient with people who are having problems, whether they are with their health, their money, or with other people.
Seizures
Seizures are uncontrolled electrical disturbances in the brain. There are different kinds, and you can tell what kind they are based on where they start and how far they spread.
It usually lasts from 30 seconds to 2 minutes and has a multitude of reasons behind it. For example, a seizure can be caused by a change in the brain’s electrical signals that is caused by too much or too little oxygen.
The usual symptoms of seizures include uncontrollable jerks in arms and legs; temporary confusion; cognitive emotions like feeling sad or fear; and loss of consciousness or awareness.
Epilepsy
Sometimes people have a spell of confusion when they encounter someone under the knife of a seizure. The reason thus forwarded is the common symptoms between seizures and epileptic seizures.
The demarcation is based on the diagnosis made by the doctors, detailing the symptoms and causes behind them.
Certain people might end up with more than two episodes of seizures as per the guidelines (more than two) but still not be diagnosed with epilepsy. This is the reason epilepsy is also known as seizure disorder and is a neurological disorder.
If a person has epilepsy, they will have seizures and be affected by them, but this is not the case for people who have only seizure episodes.
Tests like EEG, family history, and genetic make-up help confirm the diagnosis and guide the next steps of treatment.
NEAM stands for National Epilepsy Awareness Month.
During the month of October, we observe SUDEP (Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy), which is then followed by National Epilepsy Awareness Month (NEAM) all through November across the globe, and then finally National Epilepsy Day on November 17th in India.
The fact that epilepsy awareness is brought up over and over again shows that people need to learn more about a disorder that can affect anyone at any age, caste, color, or gender.
The Theme of 2022 Epilepsy Month
Every year, the Epilepsy Foundation comes up with an eye-catching tagline or theme to promote the theme of awareness. This year as well, we have ‘There is no NEAM without ME’.
This theme shows how important it is for volunteers to raise awareness among everyone, from the most educated and well-read people to those who can’t read or write.
Days like International Epilepsy Day (14th February), SUDEP (October), National Epilepsy Awareness Month (November), and National Epilepsy Day (17th November) are attempts made by several organisations around the globe to spread awareness about epilepsy and help those in need.
Acceptance is the key
Human observation claims that everyone is different. But the society and community we live in have a biased view of people who are not “normal” according to their standards.
We should collectively come forth and accept everyone as they are and provide help and assistance as needed. Acceptance is the first step, a crucial key to providing what is due to everyone in the world.
Being human costs us nothing, but it increases the chances of inclusion for those who are regarded otherwise. To be human is to face everything—from health scares to moral troubles—but it is also to accept others with open arms.
It does not matter if one suffers the pangs of epilepsy or narcolepsy (chronic drowsiness during the daytime), we should accept their problems as their own and provide awareness as the first level of assistance. This is the aim of every awareness program related to epilepsy.
