Entering 2025, I believed I was dealing with brief anxiety attacks — sudden onsets of fear, déjà vu, and a sensation of falling. Thinking it was anxiety and something “self-caused,” I allowed them to continue without seeking help. What I didn’t know was that these moments of fear, absence, and confusion– were actually seizures.
Over the course of the year, they progressed into full seizures, slowly and unexpectedly disrupting my work, my social life, my independence, and the life I knew. After months of uncertainty and misdiagnosis, I finally received clarity: temporal lobe epilepsy.
This diagnosis changed everything. Suddenly, there were so many things I could no longer do. I learned how powerful the people around me can be and learned how to advocate for my health and for myself. I learned that even when you are surrounded by support, only you truly know what it feels like to live inside your own body. And I learned that although my body may be imperfect, it is still incredibly capable.
Epilepsy is a disease I knew very little about entering 2025, but I now learn more about every single day. If I leave you with anything, let it be this: please advocate for your health, listen to your body, and trust your instincts.
