Epilepsy Talk

Lefties unite! | May 15, 2023

So you have epilepsy. And you’re left-handed. Is it a curse…a blessing…or a challenge?

Well, you’re not exactly alone.

Between six and sixteen percent of people today are left-handed. And guess what? 

Left-handedness is also associated with a higher incidence of epilepsy. Gee, what a surprise!

But, here’s the good news…

There have been lots of famous left-handed people.

And the associated right brain hemisphere that is said to be more active in left-handed people has been found to often be associated with genius, artistic and visual skill.

Here are just a few inspiring examples of lefties: Kermit the Frog… Bart Simpson…Jerry Seinfeld…Charlie Chaplin…Greta Garbo (my personal favorite)…Cary Grant…Angelina Jolie…Tom Cruise…Marilyn Monroe…Joan of Arc… Helen Keller…Alexander the Great…Napoléon Bonaparte…The Boston Strangler…Lewis Carroll…Michelangelo…Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, (“We love you, yeah, yeah, yeah”)…and Barack Obama.

Quite an illustrious group!

Left-Handed Myths: left-handed people have a shorter lifespan because of mental confusion that leads to accidents and injuries (???)…we have demonic traits…we’re immoral and unholy…we’re clumsy (Well you don’t have to be a lefty to be clumsy!)…and we have less of a chance of surviving hand-to-hand combat!

Left-Handed Facts: left-handed people are high achievers…plus lefties are good at problem solving and multitasking, because we’re good at breaking down information and finding solutions.

Unfriendly Tools for Lefties: it’s a right-handed world and many tools are designed without lefties in mind…(We’ve already have had plenty of experience with these!)

For example: potato peelers, corkscrews, rulers, scissors, number keys on keyboards, cameras, guitars, the computer mouse, watches, checkbooks, measuring cups and pencil sharpeners.

Lefty-Friendly Devices: Left-handed golf clubs. So, if you play golf, you’ve got it made in the shade!  Just look at the famous left-handed-playing golfer, Phil Mickelson!

But just like having epilepsy, we adapt.

And society is coming around to seeing things our way.

The increasing number of lefties springing up in the 21st century has society believing that we could increase intellectual advance and create a leap in the number of mathematical, sporting, or artistic geniuses.

Lefties Rule! Where would the world be without us?

Righties, you are free to defend yourself…

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Resources:

http://www.disabled-world.com/artman/publish/epilepsy-famous.shtml

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left-handed

http://www.jrmooneyham.com/left.html

https://valoraz.org/2021/08/13/8-facts-about-left-handed-people/#:~:text=A%20few%20studies%20have%20shown,Albert%20Einstein%20were%20all%20lefties.

https://www.educationandcareernews.com/early-childhood-education/9-weird-advantages-of-being-left-handed/#:~:text=Left%2Dhanded%20people%20are%20said,be%20better%20at%20divergent%20thinking.

https://interestingengineering.com/culture/20-struggles-only-left-handed-people-will-understand

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1CHBD_enUS1017US1017&sxsrf=APwXEdf4Zf0g1hmr_KY3H5vaMdFS_OFkDg%3A1682184574991&lei=fhlEZIr9O9OaptQPvNSuqAk&q=famous%20left-handed%20people&ved=2ahUKEwiKtKfwgb7-AhVTjYkEHTyqC5UQsKwBKAJ6BAhnEAM&biw=1920&bih=896&dpr=2#bsht=CgRmYnNtEgQIBDAB

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