"Most people don't know anything about epilepsy. If you mention it to someone, it's not unusual to hear, "Isn't that what makes you shake?" It's kind of sad, actually, because epilepsy is one of the most prevalent disorders in America. About 2.7 million people in America have it, and nearly 181,000 new cases are diagnosed every year. So many people don't understand epilepsy -- and this lack of knowledge leads to very negative stereotypes like: People with epilepsy are broken; People with epilepsy can't hold jobs; or People with epilepsy are dangerous to themselves and others. These are all simply not true. If more people knew the basics about epilepsy, it wouldn't be feared. It's time we all looked around and learned more about a condition that can affect anyone, in any place, at any time. Join me in bringing epilepsy out of the shadows."

The brain is the computer that runs our body, and like computers, our brains run on electricity. The electricity is produced by the cells that make up the brain. These cells (called neurons) produce just enough power for us to know what is going on around us and for us to do and think what we want. In some people, the neurons produce a power surge or unexpected burst of excess electricity. This sudden electrical burst overloads the brain and briefly interferes in how it works. When this happens, the person experiences a seizure. If it happens more than once the person is diagnosed as having epilepsy.

The electrical burst can happen in just a part of the brain or it can cover the entire brain. If only part of the brain is involved, the person has a “partial seizure” – the part of the brain that is overwhelmed can’t function as it normally does, so the person might not be able to talk for a few moments or they might have a sudden arm or leg jerk. If the seizure affects the whole brain, then the person’s muscles will tense up and they may fall to the floor and convulse. This is what many people think about when they think epileptic seizure.

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