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AS SOMEONE WHO has lived through the reality of the working ban for asylum seekers for over six years I can tell you my life has been deeply affected. Our basic instinct as human beings is to want to live with dignity, and to know you are valued in the society you live in.
To be made feel useless and dependent is the opposite of what freedom and dignity means. Asylum seekers are often highly qualified, ie, in medicine, IT, engineering, education, business.
Barring us from working is wasting precious talents, skills, knowledge and importantly the ability to contribute to Ireland’s development.
There’s so much to gain from allowing people seeking asylum the right to work. To leave home and seek refuge is far from easy. In fact it’s one of the hardest things a human being will face. If from the moment we arrived we could be supported to be part of life here, to be independent and have the freedom to live life with dignity, the damage caused by the trauma of seeking refuge in the first place would be lessened.
If people seeking asylum were supported to have a sense of humanity and allowed to integrate into the communities that are now our homes, everyone would benefit, including the economy.
Mental illness
For a healthy society to exist the State has a duty to step up the fight against discrimination and social exclusion. From the UN to local groups the inhumane treatment asylum seekers have been subjected to has been widely criticised. The mental illness, and all the problems linked to forced segregation are devastating and has a deep impact on the lives and future stability of entire families forced to live in the direct provision system.
I know from direct experience how hard it is to be forced to lie idle, to feel worthless, to feel the frustration of not being able to use my skills and experience. It is devastating and tore the heart out of me, for far too long.
Many people waiting to be recognised refugees are left sitting in limbo for years. Imagine what it means to be left in what is effectively left in cold storage, waiting to be allowed pick up the pieces of your life again.
Severe deskilling
The Direct Provision system and the ban on working leads to severe deskilling, fosters a lack of self-esteem, destroying people’s confidence and in the process turns us into double victims.
The Irish government says it is committed to supporting an intercultural society. For this to happen they must make it possible for solidarity and relationships to cultivate and grow. This is not possible as long as people are kept segregated in direct provision centres.
Being able to work means having colleagues and peers, what a positive step towards fostering positive dialogue and open dialogue between people from diverse cultures and experiences. This can only have a positive impact on society.
What would be nearly as bad as the total ban that exists right now would be if the government decided to give a ‘half right’ or in other words if people seeking asylum were told they couldn’t work full time or confined to certain jobs. Imagine being a qualified nurse but told you can’t work in this profession or told you can’t start your own business or use the skills you have spent years developing.
According to the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, “everyone has the right to work and to protection against unemployment”. Considering Ireland has been championing human rights on the global stage it’s time they walked the talk at home and allowed people seeking asylum the right to work and to live with dignity and freedom.
Lassane Ouedraogo was declared a refugee by the Irish State after six years in direct provision. He had fled political persecution in Burkino Faso and had been in fear for his life. He now works in a third-level institution.
https://www.facebook.com/UpliftIreland/videos/798417333672343/
@Eva-Jayne
I know the feeling, I had my firste cit when I was 18, scary stuff, along with getting physical injuries as a result .. Im 47 now and havent had a fit in 9 years (bar 1 which was a result of slight trauma after jumping into a lake to save my dog).
Im also on Lamactical and find them great..
Just keep hydrated get loads of sleep, lay off the alcohol and try never to get too hungry….works for me.
All the best and hopfully they will be a distant memory in the future..
My daughter had one of thes n the middle of the night, the only reason we knew was because she fell out of bed. We called an ambulance and they admitted her, she had a 3 hour memory lapse, and was out of it for 24 hours. Her eeg was abnormal, 4 months after they did another eeg. That too was abnormal. She has never been diagnosed with epilepsy but she is at high risk of another seizure. If she has one we’ve been told to call an ambulance immediately.
The drugs for epilepsy can be a lottery particularly if the person is at a young age I have heard many people will try Natural Remedies first
@Johnny Mason: My daughter had major brain surgery in April to remove a tumour. Had two weeks of as-yet undiagnosed seizures. Doctors not convinced they were tonic-clonic ones and more than likely vasovagel. I was there for a few, scared me enough to allow them to put her on a low dose medication on the off chance. No amount of turmeric would convince me to second guess am complimentary medicine. You watch your twelve year old go rigid and start twitching and come back to me.
@Emma Fitzpatrick: Really hope that your daughter makes a full recovery and I am very familiar with grand mal seizures from your comment any serious operation to the brain area can bring on a seizure it may not be connected to epilepsy so the drugs prescribe in that situation would be essential to allow the healing
@Johnny Mason: I’ve spent a lot of time in various A&E Departments over the years, but I’ve yet to hear someone cry out for turmeric, ask for herbalist or cry out for the want of a reiki massage.
These things don’t work, if they did they’d cease being labelled ‘alternative’ and just become medicine, it’s the same with thought’s and prayers, if they worked ambulances would stop at churches.
@Boyne Sharky: you wouldn’t hear them crying out at A&E over the years because they don’t need to attend when alternative medicine or way of life works for them and Church’s have been around before ambulances but that doesn’t mean Ambulances don’t serve a important purpose
Can anyone who is familiar with Lamicital tell me if they’ve had any side effects? In particular, hair falling out and bad rash on your body?
Thanks in advance
@Mrs Wynne: Yes my son had many side effects and we brought him to Hospital on a few occasions and his immune system seemed to become weak and suffered from rashes and a case of blood poisoning
@Johnny Mason: thank you Johnny. Did they change him from the medication? I’ve just changed to Lamicital in the last 9 months. They don’t agree that my skin and hair is related but I firmly believe it is.
@Mrs Wynne: Yes he has gone back on Tegretol and it seems more suitable for the time being I do know a young girl who decided to change her diet and gave up all dairy products and it had resounding effects but the research on epilepsy medication is a bit hit and miss
@Mrs Wynne: yes I experienced bad rashes and even blisters on my face while on Lamictal. Was eventually switched to Keppra – no issues since.
@Mrs Wynne: Ive been on Lamatical for over 10 years and thankfully no major side effects..Have a read up on them and peoples side effects and compare..
@Mrs Wynne:
Two members of my extended family have been in that position, one was on tegratol was advised to move to lamicital but suffered from dizziness and headaches, she kept feeling a seizure (petite mal) was imminent, went back to tegratol and is fine now. This was a few years ago
I know another lady (Grand mal) who is on lamicital for the best part of ten years with no trouble.
I know this information is probably no help, I do hope your daughter’s health improves.
@Mrs Wynne: I’ve been on Lamictal for 15 years, started on 50mg and now 500mg a day. Never gone longer than two years without a seizure though. I thought I was indestructible in my twenties and didn’t mind myself as much as I do now. I had a few small rashes at the very beginning but nothing at all now. Funny you should mention the hair-loss, I thought it was just natural ‘thinning’ but ya never know…. But no side effects that me or my doctor can see. I just needed to get the dose right. And seemingly the more weight I put on, the bigger the dose I needed. Happy on 500mg now though, seems to be working.
@Mrs Wynne: it has effected my teeth, apparently it is a known side effect. Was on 500 lamictal for 13 years, reduced to 400 (slowly) and removed my topamax completely, last month had my first seizure in 12 years, going back to the higher dose, will deal with the teeth separately
@Mrs Wynne: Lamictal turned my child into a walking zombie for the whole time he was on it. But it was probably just the absolutly wrong medicine for him! keppra/chloral hydrate mix was the solution in the end( after 7 – 8 long years) If the Lamictal is keeping the seizures at bay and no other is, rashes and hair loss may be the sacrifice you have to pay.
I developed epilepsy about 3 years ago (temporal lobe, but no tonic-clonic movement). Started on Keppra but due to side-effects changed to Lamictal. No side-effects since. I’ve been fortunate to be sitting down for any of my seizures as I get a clear warning first. Like most things in life, you get on with it if you have to. Apart from the aura, I won’t even be aware I had a seizure, so it’s not the worst type of epilepsy.
@Mrs Wynne: side effects include apathy, slight depression, occasional rashes. Don’t let this put you off the medication. Going to a gym and living a healthy lifestyle really helps to eliminate them. I’ve been taking lamictal for a few years and it has controlled my condition.
Mad that it just came out of nowhere like that!!! I like reading your experience because my son started having seizures when he was about 8 but he could not describe how it feels because he has special needs. I can only guess that he feels something like you do.
I wonder could there have been an environmental chemical trigger. Did author move into a new house or have any chemical based renovations carried out such as spray insulation, new windows etc?
Eva Jayne my best friend had epilepsy. I would regard him as the greatest person I’ve met . He was a rare person – goodness walking among us. You are a mighty person. Hope all goes well for you and that you’ll come out of this and eve greater person than you are. Your story reminded me of my great friend and so I had to write these few words
‘Vallend ‘ or Falling is a short Dutch documentary about epilepsy made in 2014. All the info. is probably on the imbd and I’m sure it’s on you tube or one of them
Thanks Eva-Jayne for your piece. Although my Epilepsy is different to yours; Complex Partial with slight risk of elevation to tonic-clonic (I’ve had a few of those too) your description of feeling emotional and overwelmed by certain situations resonates. I know that’s no consolation to you but be aware that reading another person’s experience helps. Be good to yourself and keep well.
Derived from the Greek word meaning ‘to be seized, to be overwhelmed by surprise’,
those who have it will know what that means.
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