Established in 2008 by Cassidy Megan, Wear Purple Day is an initiative designed as a way to build epilepsy awareness around the world. Megan’s goal is to get people talking about Epilepsy, to dispel myths and let people with Epilepsy know that they are not alone.
Epilepsy is described by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a chronic noncommunicable disease of the brain, affecting around 50 million people worldwide. It is a disease characterized by recurring seizures, often that involve a common triggering factor. The WHO recognizes it as the most common serious brain disorder worldwide.
Seizures themselves are a result of electrical discharges in a group of brain cells. They can vary from brief lapses of attention to, the more well known, grand mal seizures, characterized by more severe muscle jerks and sometimes prolonged convulsions.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), around 1.4% of the US has been diagnosed with Epilepsy, including 3 million adults and over 400,000 children. Almost 200,000 people are diagnosed with epilepsy each year. It is estimated that 1 in 10 people will have a seizure in their lifetime and that 1 in 26 people will be diagnosed.
The History of Epilepsy
Throughout history, epilepsy and those diagnosed with it, have been often misunderstood. In ancient Greece, it was called “The Sacred Disease”. Generally, it was seen as a spiritual disease, often a punishment for sins done. Sometimes those with the disease were thought to be possessed by evil spirits.
The School of Hippocrates in Greece was among the first to hypothesize that the brain may be the cause of epilepsy. Hippocrates believed that the ‘Sacred Disease’, was no more divine than other diseases, but due to its unique and inexplicable appearance, was named ‘sacred’. Aristotle was another to hypothesize that epilepsy was caused by similar mechanisms.
It wasn’t until the 19th century that people started to discover and accept the idea that epilepsy was the result of abnormal electric activity in the brain. Hans Berger’s invention of the human electroencephalogram (EEG) allowed him to confirm that to be the cause of epilepsy.
Modern Times
Societal misunderstandings of epilepsy continued through the mid-20th century. Until the mid 20th century, many US states prohibited people with epilepsy to get married, and some even encouraged eugenic sterilization. The last state to repeal its marriage ban did so in 1980. Still, there were restaurants, theaters and other public areas that refused entry to people with epilepsy.
The first law to attempt to protect people with epilepsy was passed in 1973, although it was limited in scope. It wasn’t until the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in the 1990s that people with epilepsy were fully protected under US law.
Even today, some developing countries hold ancient superstitions about epilepsy.
In 2023, much progress has been made to understand epilepsy and support those who suffer from it. Many people who have been diagnosed are able to control their epilepsy, and avoid seizures. Progress still can be made, however. Epilepsy is still not well understood, and most people diagnosed do not uncover what caused their epilepsy.
Based on the relative prevalence of Epilepsy across the US, it receives much less funding than other neurological disorders. According to the American Academy of Neurology, epilepsy receives equivalent funding to two disorders that are 1/6th as prevalent, those being Parkinson’s Disease and Multiple Sclerosis.
Conclusion and First Aid Tips
As someone who’s been diagnosed with epilepsy, I welcome any additional funding that can increase the general understanding, treatment efficacy and public understanding of epilepsy. I invite you to wear purple on March 26th, and help raise awareness of epilepsy.
Seizures are often not understood even by the people who experience them. Let me leave you with some first aid tips from the Epilepsy Foundation if you were to be in the company of someone experiencing a seizure:
- STAY. SAFE. SIDE. STAY with the person and start timing the seizure. Keep the person SAFE. Turn the person onto their SIDE if they are not awake and aware.
- Do not put anything into the mouth of someone who is having a seizure. It is physically impossible for someone to swallow their tongue, and you will do much more damage than good.
- Call 911, or whatever your local emergency number is, if the seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes, if their are repeated seizures, if they are having difficulty breathing, if it occurs in water, if the person is injured, pregnant or sick, if the person does not return to their usual state, if it is the first time they have a seizure or if they ask for medical help.
- If someone is having a seizure and is convulsing, make sure they aren’t going to hurt themselves by placing a blanket or pillow underneath their head.
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The Mill Review 