Epilepsy is a condition that is more than seizures. Challenges that arise from the condition can have an impact on a person’s emotional & mental health and wellbeing. For example, a driving restriction due to epilepsy can have an associated impact on a person’s social circle and independence – which can then have a knock-on effect on a person’s emotional & mental health and wellbeing.
In addition, the unpredictable nature of epilepsy can lead to increased anxiety – as a person may find themselves in a cycle of worry should they have a seizure in public and be unsure of how it will be perceived or responded to. Again, this can have a knock-on effect on a person’s mental health and wellbeing.
Our team of Community Resource Officers are here to support you on your journey with epilepsy and provide information and support around living with the condition. We have a range of supports: our ‘Toolkit’ for Living Well with Epilepsy sessions; self-management/wellbeing programmes; and support groups are all designed to help people on their journey with the condition and provide them with some of the supports they may need, while highlighting that they are not alone in this journey.
You can get in touch with your local Community Resource Officer by visiting the ‘Our Local Service’ page on our website – while you can learn more about the services referenced above by visiting the ‘Our Services’ section of the website.
Our memory and wellbeing booklet also provides useful information and advice around managing wellbeing alongside epilepsy. This booklet can be downloaded from our website, or hard copies can be requested via your local Community Resource Officer or by submitting an enquiry via the ‘Contact Us’ form on our website.
The subsections of this section of our website also contains useful information on why epilepsy may impact your wellbeing, and some tips on how to manage this - as well as recognising when you may need to seek specialist support.
Specialist Mental Health Supports
While all the above Epilepsy Ireland services and supports are designed to help improve a person’s wellbeing on their journey with epilepsy and provide them with the information they may need, our services do not extend into specialist mental health support.
We do recognise that for some individuals the impact of epilepsy can lead to a significant deterioration of their emotional & mental health and can lead to them entering a mental health crisis or experiencing suicidal ideation.
If you are at risk of harming yourself or have already done so, please seek immediate help:
- Call 999 or 112 to reach emergency services and request an ambulance.
- Or go directly to your nearest A&E Department.
If you feel safe for now but urgently need support:
- Contact your GP to arrange an urgent appointment.
- If it’s outside regular hours, reach out to your local out-of-hours GP service
You are not alone and it is okay to not be okay. We have signposted below to some dedicated mental health support organisations who can provide more direct, expert and specialised support.
- Pieta House – learn more by visiting their website or by calling 1800 247 247 or Text HELP to 51444
- Samaritans Ireland – learn more by visiting their website or by calling 116 123
- Aware – learn more by visiting their website or by calling 1800 80 48 48
- Text About It provides a safe space where you’re listened to by a trained volunteer, the service is free and provides 24/7 support by text. Text HELLO to 50808. Visit the 'Spunout' website for further information.
- Visit the Mental Health Ireland website, which has links to a range of community mental health support services