An Overview of Narcolepsy Support Groups
Living with
narcolepsy is not easy. Many patients attempt to avoid experiencing strong emotions, since humor, excitement, and other intense feelings can trigger cataplectic attacks. Also, because of the widespread lack of public knowledge about the disorder,
people with narcolepsy are too often unfairly judged as lazy, unintelligent, undisciplined, or unmotivated. Such stigmatization often increases the tendency toward self-imposed isolation. A lot of people with narcolepsy find support groups helpful.
Benefits of Narcolepsy Support Groups
The empathy and understanding that narcolepsy support groups offer people can be crucial to a person's overall sense of well-being; support groups can also provide a network of social contacts who can offer practical help and emotional support. In these support groups, patients or their family members get together to share what they have learned about
coping with narcolepsy and the effects of treatment.
Discussing Narcolepsy Support Groups With a Healthcare Provider
Patients may want to talk with a member of their healthcare team about finding a narcolepsy support group. Narcolepsy support groups may offer support in person, over the telephone, or on the Internet.
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