Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disease that not only affects the person who suffers it but also their immediate environment is affected in their daily routine
People with epilepsy can lead a completely normal life, but at the moment the seizures appear, or they are uncontrollable, as happens in refractory epilepsy, the personal and family dynamics are affected to a greater or lesser extent, depending on the case.
Relatives of people with refractory epilepsy, when their primary caregivers are fathers, mostly mothers, show signs of fatigue and overload from caring for their relative. We can even observe a limitation in their social life. This is especially seen in those people with epilepsy who also have other associated problems – developmental or psychiatric – which affects 30% of people with epilepsy. This complicates the situation and management of these people, increasing their degree of limitation and dependence.
On the other hand, when the primary caregiver is the partner, these people are not as limited or as dependent, so even though epilepsy is more severe, there are no limitations or overloads in their daily lives.
When dealing with people with epilepsy, we should not neglect their environment, which can be affected and hinder the entire disease process. It is as important to care for the patient as it is for the primary caregiver. It is fundamental to offer help and moments of relaxation in order to better cope with the task of caring for the person with a chronic illness, especially if there are other factors that make the situation more difficult such as dependence on other associated disorders, so common in people with epilepsy.
