Going out

    Going out and having fun is important to us all but at the moment, coronavirus is restricting opportunities for going out and socialising.

    The information on this page is about going out and socialising in normal times. If you’re finding the restrictions tough, take a look at the ways that you can connect with other young people with epilepsy.

    Lots of people are thinking about all the things they want to do when the restrictions are eased. Why not look at the information below about going out to see if there is anything you might do differently when things start to get back to normal.

    Fast facts

    1. 1
      Socialising is important, it supports good wellbeing
    2. 2
      It’s not unusual for people with epilepsy to worry about having a seizure when out and about
    3. 3
      Having epilepsy doesn’t have to stop you from trying new things or doing what you enjoy
    4. 4
      Planning ahead and considering the risks will help you to keep safe
    5. 5
      Seizures can be triggered by being tired from a late night, alcohol or recreational drugs

    Top tips

    People listening to a band in a club

    FoMO – Fear of Missing Out

    It can seem like everyone else has a great social life and you may not want to say no to things for fear of missing out. This could be even when you know having an early night is what you need rather than going out.  FoMO (fear of missing out) is real. It was even added to the Oxford English dictionary in 2013.

    With people posting the fantastic time they had last night on social media it’s very easy to have FoMO. Here are some tips for dealing with FoMO:

     

     

    Friends in a coffee shop

    Here are some tips from young people and ways they’ve found to have a social life:

    Have nights in rather than nights out – invite friends round to your house for an early dinner instead of going out.”

    Don’t compare yourself to others. It’s hard to do, but not everyone is having as perfect life as they seem.”

    Tell others about your epilepsy. Opening up actually helped me connect with other people and start a conversation.”

    Be prepared – if you know you needs snacks to get through a big night out, then do it.”

    Know your limits. If drinking lots on a night out will cause you to have a seizure, then don’t do it. My friends starting asking me not to drink when we went out because the night ending in a seizure wasn’t fun for them.”

    Do things in the day time rather than at night. Catch up with people over lunch or coffee rather than at night.”

    Pace yourself – Freshers week at university can be intense.  I knew that if I did everything that I wanted to, I would be exhausted by the time lectures started. And tiredness is one of my triggers.”

    Plan how you’ll get home safely if you need to leave earlier than your friends. I stayed at a party longer than I wanted to because I couldn’t afford the taxi fare on my own.”

     

    Three men eating hot dogs at a fairground

    Stories by you

    Derrick shares his thoughts about going out and partying

    Do something

    Have you got a good balance between having a social life and looking after yourself?

    Are you over-doing it, or overthinking all the things that might go wrong?

    Is there anything that you want to change?

    Friends at a music festival

    More info

    The Epilepsy Action website has more safety advice if you’re thinking about how to make activities safe

    Safety

    There is a page on The Epilepsy Space about alcohol and recreational drugs

    Alcohol and drugs
    Updated 12 May 2020
    Review 12 May 2023
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