The new year has begun and so far 2014 has been a great year…all 6 days of it! I chose to kick off my year of therapy by co-facilitating an adult connect group through the Epilepsy Foundation of Minnesota last week. I was inspired to share some of the analysis of the lyrics from participants that was received. Below is the experience of epilepsy, as interpreted through the song Titanium by David Guetta.

You shout it out,
But I can’t hear a word you say
I’m talking loud not saying much

Living with epilepsy can be very isolating. The experience of having a seizure and the consequences that follow require the help of the people around us, which often comes at the expense of our own independence. There are strict guidelines for what you can and can’t do, and oftentimes, our opinion is at the bottom of the charts of diagnosis, paperwork, medicine levels, and MRI appointments.

I’m criticized but all your bullets ricochet
You shoot me down, but I get up

For many of us, the source of our seizures will never be found. Epilepsy is never predictable, and that means taking a myriad of medications to control the seizures. Side-effects can cause mood swings, depression, mental health problems, and weight gain. We are often judged based on these side-effects, despite the fact that taking those medications is not a choice that we have.

I’m bulletproof, nothing to lose
Fire away, fire away  

You shoot me down, but I get up                                                                                                    I am titanium                                                                                                                                                               

Losing things like our drivers license,  jobs, and independence can be tough to handle, but it also forces you to find out what you love, and how to find ways to do those things that you love. The idea of Titanium is appropriate because it is famous for it’s incredible strength. You are as strong as you think you are.

Cut me down
But it’s you who’ll have further to fall
Ghost town and haunted love

Our lifestyle choices are highly criticized, but we are the ones that decide how to spend our time, where we go, and what we do. Half of the battle is getting your family to let go and let us fend for ourselves. Waking up after having a seizure can be very confusing and often memories are just gone. Your brain feels like an old abandoned town. Sometimes it feels like you just ran a marathon the day before, and other times the only indicators are that you wet the bed, you have no idea what the date or time is, and the memories of the last week are blurry.

Raise your voice, sticks and stones may break my bones
I’m talking loud not saying much

Our titanium is the thing we have that makes us happy. The thing that makes it worth it. Titanium is traveling, or collecting old records, or painting, or playing soccer, or watching Netflix. Seizures aren’t planned, but finding healthy ways to cope is the first step, and they come from within us.

With that. I want to answer the statement “We Are…” about what music therapists are for social media advocacy month as

We Are EMPOWERERS!!

Check out all of the posts for Social Media Music Therapy Advocacy Month.