‘I’d rather you didn’t come’: The impact of stigma on exercising with epilepsy

Abstract

Epilepsy is a common but hidden disorder, leading to stigma in everyday life. Despite stigma being widely researched, little is known about the impact of stigma for people with epilepsy within a sports and exercise setting. Using constructionist grounded theory, we explored the barriers and adaptations to exercise for people with epilepsy. Three focus groups (2–3 participants per group) and three semi-structured interviews were conducted (11 participants in total). Stigma negatively impacted joining team sports, running groups, and disclosure to others. The effect of stigma was reduced by educating others about epilepsy, thus creating more awareness and understanding.