DOI: 10.21276/sasjm.2018.4.11.3

Pages: 186-188

Epilepsy throughout the pre modern time was considered to be a disease with a metaphysical basis. Numerous superstitions and deities were attributed to cause the condition. In the 19th century, when neuro science unfolded as a new field, different from psychiatry, the idea of epilepsy as a disorder of the brain became much more widely accepted. Majority of the advances in developed economies are of negligible or no relevance to the 80% of people with epilepsy who live in developing countries. For most of these patients, the antiquated supernatural views, social stigma and prejudice still prevail. Even in the developed world, the disorder is still shrouded in secrecy, and people prefer not to reveal or discuss their malady.