In light of November being National Epilepsy Awareness Month, I provided some points of how to be aware of epilepsy and what to be aware of. This is meant for those who don't have epilepsy and are unsure of what it is, those who have epilepsy and are still not clear of what challenges come with the disability and what behaviors they should utilize, and those who know about epilepsy whether they have it or not but can still contribute to goal of bringing awareness to everyone. I was diagnosed with epilepsy the summer of 2015 and since then, my life has been different. I know what it feels like on a personal level and have been told by doctors and others with the same issue what epilepsy will do to you and how to treat it, but most importantly how to live with it because there is not a cure.

1. Over 65 Million people have epilepsy

People with epilepsy have seizures which are unexpected electrical "storms" in their brain. Seizures impact their lives in many ways including creating barriers to employment and education and facing a sense of discrimination and isolation from their peers who donʼt understand what happens when they see a seizure occur.

2. There are different types of seizures

Not every seizure involves a person falling to the ground and having spasms. Seizures have two main categories; primary generalized seizures and partial seizures. It just depends what part of the brain is affected. The symptoms can include; spasms, staring spells, screaming, blackouts, automatisms, memory loss, and many more.

3. There is an Epilepsy Foundation

The Epilepsy Foundation specializes in bring awareness to epilepsy. They offer help by answering questions and provides opportunities to get involved in the movement to get more research done on epileptic patients and medicine. They always support #EpilepsyPositivity

4. There are many ways to treat epilepsy but there is no cure

It is really unfortunate that there hasn't been a found cure, but if you utilize the actions in order to treat epilepsy you can potentially never have a seizure again. Some of the treatments are; medication, sleep, a healthy diet, and now cannabinoid oil is a proven treatment.

5. Like any disability you have to stay positive

Being positive through anything is always key. You aren't the only one dealing with the issue. On Twitter there is a community of teenagers and adults that share their story and support one another. Every month when I reach another month seizure free, I tweet it and I find epilepsy positivity pages and other strangers that have epilepsy like and retweet my post, but also congratulate me. It always feels good to have people in your corner.