November: National Epilepsy Month

Historically, epilepsy was attributed to non‐medical causes such as demonic possession, a gift from God, witchcraft, and mental illness. Only with the advent of the electroencephalogram (EEG) in the 1930s did the medical profession begin to document the neurological basis for the condition. Now a wide range of anticonvulsants allow most epileptics to maintain partial or total control over their seizures. Nevertheless, many epileptics routinely face discouraging social limitations, such as difficulty obtaining a driver's license, employment discrimination, problems with dating and marriage, restrictions on sports and activities, and the expense of medication.