Self-care

Self-care refers to all the things you can do to make yourself feel better. There are many daily tasks with epilepsy that influence on your well-being. For example, daily routines and sleep support your care.

Self-care also includes following your symptoms and indentifying risks that may cause seizures. In order to recognize these, you need enough information about your epilepsy.

Regular medication prevents seizures

Epilepsy medication is a long-term solution to reduce seizures. For this to happen, you need enough information and guidance about:

• Name of the medicine, active substance and dosage
• Why medication is important?
• What does regular medication mean?
• What to do if you forget your medication?
• What side effects medication might cause and what to do in case these come up?
• What to do in special situations, such as travelling, time difference or being sick?

How to survive with the illness?

Having epilepsy can cause changes in your life and insecurity about the future. Adjustment and survival may take some time and be exhausting, but with time, you can work on your coping skills.

• It is crucial to have factual information. Get to know to your epilepsy, get information from reliable sources. Epilepsy is well treatable nowadays. However, it is a serious illness, and successful treatment requires your effort and commitment.
• Follow guidance that helps you with your epilepsy: simple daily routines, sleep, outdoor activities, exercise, regular diet and being active.
• Do not push aside your emotions, but let them come into your consciousness and face them with understanding that they are a reaction to a difficult situation. Emotions should be discussed and shared with others.
• Bring out your own uncertainties and your needs to professionals. Their task is to help, and your task is to share your situation with them. If needed, seek for professional psychological help.
• With peer support, you can be heard and understood. A person who has gone through the same understands the best about what it is like to have an illness. Equality and sharing life experience are the strengths of peer support.
• You may also face a financial burden from being ill. Epilepsy can be detrimental for continuing to work or entering the job market, or the costs of being ill can be hard on one’s income. Finnish social services can provide support. Often you will need a social worker’s help to apply for allowances. Your task is to bring these matters up with professionals.