Article Written by: Shruthi Mohanraja
Cover Design by: Gowri Chandran
In the age of the 2020s, neurological disorders are more widely known than in the decades before. With some celebrities opening up about their conditions and social media awareness, people have begun to accept and discover the science behind these disorders. However, several myths still circulate and may be potentially dangerous when misused. What are these myths, and what facts are actually correct?
Myth 1: If you have a seizure, then you automatically have epilepsy.
This is not true in most cases. Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that deals with repeated seizures, so having a seizure once does not immediately mean someone has epilepsy. Some seizures can be caused by lack of sleep, flashing lights, sleep deprivation, etc. Epilepsy is usually diagnosed when someone has at least two “unprovoked seizures” that happen more than a day apart.
Myth 2: Only older people get Alzheimer’s disease.
While it is true that the risk of developing this disease increases with age, Alzheimer’s can occur in people around the age of 30 as well. If detected in a person younger than normal (around the age of 30-60), then this condition is called early onset. Alzheimer's symptoms become clearer as a person ages but can occur anytime.
Myth 3: Individuals with autism are violent.
Sometimes autistic individuals act out aggressively, but it is most likely due to sensory overload, anxiety, stress, etc. These individuals rarely act violently unless there is a motivating factor, and do not seek to harm people purposefully. In fact, some autistic individuals prefer to be in settings where they feel less socially anxious because they want to feel more comfortable.
Myth 4: People with multiple sclerosis find it harder to become pregnant and have children.
In the past, people linked multiple sclerosis, also known as MS (an autoimmune disease that attacks the protective layers of nerves found in the central nervous system), with fertility, but it has been proven that people with MS do not have complications with pregnancy. However, a person with MS needs to consult a doctor on what medications are safe to use during pregnancy, and the plan afterward.
Many more myths are around, so we need to be on the lookout for them and make sure that we know the right facts. It helps to have the right information; it could possibly even save a life.
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