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Friends, family and relationships

Learn how other young people with epilepsy manage family, friendships and dating, and find tips for building healthy, supportive relationships.

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What are you looking for?

When you are a young person with living epilepsy, your condition can affect your relationships. Whether its your family, social circle, or potential partner, it's easy to feel misunderstood and hard to make clear boundaries.

You may feel annoyed by your parents being protective, resentful of siblings who don't have epilepsy, concerned about how to speak to your friends, or unsure how to go about dating.

You are not alone in this. Many other young people with epilepsy have also struggled with navigating their condition and relationships and have found many ways of successfully managing both. Their experiences can help you make sure your epilepsy doesn't stop you from being respected, included and celebrated in your relationships.

In this section

In this section

Telling your friends

Get tips on how to tell new friends about your epilepsy, offering practical advice and confidence-boosting strategies for young people.

In this section

Telling a new partner

Discover helpful advice on how to talk to your partner about epilepsy, with tips on building trust and navigating the conversation confidently.

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Lauren's story: Making new friends at college

Making new friends was quite difficult for me, but over time it's become easier. Telling new people about my epilepsy was quite hard at first, but as I kept opening up, it became much easier.

Read Lauren's story

Here's what you can find in The Channel

Here's what you can find in The Channel

Mental health and wellbeing

Get top tips and coping strategies and hear from other young people with epilepsy about how they are supporting their mental health wellbeing.

Here's what you can find in The Channel

Your education

Discover educational support and resources for students with epilepsy, helping you manage your condition and achieve your academic goals.

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Work and careers

Embark on your new career with confidence by checking out our guide to work and careers, covering your rights, support options, and personal stories.

Here's what you can find in The Channel

Stepping into adulthood

From driving to transitions to adult healthcare, get tips from other young adults with epilepsy on navigating independence and life as you grow older.

Here's what you can find in The Channel

Out and about

Getting out can feel scary with epilepsy. Whether it’s a holiday, night out or simple journey, find advice from young people who understand.

Here's what you can find in The Channel

Living with epilepsy

Explore stories from young people with epilepsy, covering diagnosis, seizures and treatment, with tips to help you feel more confident.

Here's what you can find in The Channel

Get involved

Become part of the Channel! Get involved and make your voice heard with other young people with epilepsy. Find out how you can be a part of this community.