Living with epilepsy, or caring for someone who has it, can feel lonely. Friends and relatives may not understand the fear of the next seizure, the side effects, or the questions about school, work and marriage. Support groups bring together people who do. You can swap practical tips, hear how others handle stigma, and simply feel less alone.
Many lists of support groups online are old or copied. We built this one from the Indian Epilepsy Association's own pages and checked it on 19 October 2026. Meeting times and contacts change, so please call before you go.
How we checked this list
- Every group below is listed on the support groups page of the Indian Epilepsy Association and Indian Epilepsy Society website (epilepsyindia.org).
- We have copied the city, the organiser or venue, and the meeting time where the association gives one.
- We have not included personal phone numbers here. You can find the contact details for each group on the association's support groups page.
- We have not attended these groups and cannot vouch for their content. Details can change at any time, so treat this list as a starting point and check before you travel.
Epilepsy support groups listed by the Indian Epilepsy Association
| Group | City | Run by or meets at | When (as listed) |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAMMAN | Mumbai | Indian Epilepsy Association, Bombay Chapter, Nana Chowk | 2nd and 4th Saturday, 2:30 to 4:30 pm |
| SANVEDANA | Pune | Epilepsy Counselling Centre, Lloyds Chambers | Counselling on Tuesdays, 4:30 to 7:30 pm, by appointment. Also listed as running a marriage bureau |
| UTTEJAN | Thane | Institute for Psychological Health, Naupada, Thane West | 1st Sunday of the month, 4 pm |
| PROTSAHAN | Dombivli | A team of local doctors | Not listed; contact first |
| SAMMAN | Indore | Mangesh Neuro Centre | Not listed; contact first |
| SAMVAAD | Nagpur | A local doctor | Not listed; contact first |
| SANVEDANA | Ahmednagar | A local doctor | Not listed; contact first |
| Epilepsy Group | Aurangabad | A local doctor | Not listed; contact first |
| Sholapur Epilepsy Group | Solapur | A local doctor | Not listed; contact first |
| Epilepsy Self Help Group | Thiruvananthapuram | R. Madhavan Nayar Centre for Comprehensive Epilepsy Care, SCTIMST | Not listed; contact the centre |
As you can see, most listed groups are in Maharashtra. If you live elsewhere, the association's city chapters are a good next step.
Indian Epilepsy Association chapters
The association lists chapters in many cities, including Ahmedabad, Bangalore (Bengaluru), Chennai, Delhi, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Indore, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kochi, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mangalore, Mumbai, Nagpur, Nellore, Pune, Punjab (Ludhiana), Ranchi, Secunderabad, Shimoga, Thiruvananthapuram, Tirupati, Trichy and Visakhapatnam. Chapters often run awareness programmes and can tell you about local support meetings. The association's Delhi office is listed on its website.
Other places to find support
- Your hospital's epilepsy or neurology clinic. Larger hospitals and medical colleges sometimes run patient and parent meetings. Ask your neurologist or the clinic nurse.
- Awareness days. National Epilepsy Day is marked in India on 17 November, and International Epilepsy Day falls in February. Hospitals and groups often hold free talks and camps around these dates, which are a good way to meet others.
- Parents' groups at school or therapy centres. Parents of children with epilepsy often find each other through special educators, paediatric neurologists or child development centres.
For parents of children with epilepsy
Parents often carry the heaviest worry and get the least support. Meeting other parents can help you learn how they talk to schools, manage night-time fears, plan holidays and handle relatives' questions. Ask your child's paediatric neurologist whether the hospital runs a parents' meeting, and ask your local Indian Epilepsy Association chapter whether any group welcomes families. Brothers and sisters can benefit too, as they may feel scared or left out.
Questions to ask before you join a group
- Who runs the group, and is there a trained facilitator, such as a counsellor or doctor?
- Is it for people with epilepsy, for parents and carers, or for both?
- Is there a fee? Most community support groups are free or ask only for a small contribution.
- What are the rules about privacy, and about sharing medical advice?
- Can you just listen at the first meeting?
Starting a group where there is none
If there is no group near you, you could start a small one. Many groups begin with three or four families meeting in a hospital seminar room, a community hall or online. Ask a neurologist, counsellor or the nearest association chapter to help guide the first few meetings, agree simple ground rules on privacy and medical advice, and keep a fixed day each month so people can plan around it.
Online groups: helpful, with some care
WhatsApp and Facebook groups can connect you with people across India, any time of day. A few things to keep in mind:
- Medical advice in groups is not personal advice. What helped someone else may not suit you. Never stop or change your epilepsy medicine because of a group message; always ask your doctor.
- Be careful about "miracle" treatments and anyone selling products or asking for money.
- Protect your privacy. Think before sharing your full name, reports or your child's photos in large groups.
- Leave if a group makes you more anxious. A good group leaves you feeling supported, not frightened.
Mindara's free monthly support circle (coming soon)
Mindara is planning a free monthly online support circle for people living with epilepsy and their families, led by a trained counsellor. It will be a safe, moderated space to share experiences and practical tips, not a place for medical advice. We will announce dates on Mindara when it is ready.
What happens at a support group?
Most groups meet for an hour or two. A facilitator, often a counsellor, doctor or experienced member, welcomes everyone. People share what has happened since the last meeting, ask questions and talk about a topic, such as telling an employer, managing exam stress, or parenting a child with epilepsy. You never have to speak if you do not want to. Many people simply listen at their first meeting.
What is said in the group stays in the group. Members usually agree not to share each other's stories outside, and not to give each other medical instructions. Over a few meetings, many people find that hearing how others cope with the same fears makes their own feel more manageable, and some go on to support newer members themselves.
When a group is not enough
Support groups are a great complement to care, not a replacement for it. Consider professional help if:
- Fear of seizures is stopping you from living your life, or you feel low most days. Epilepsy counselling can help, online and in your language.
- Your seizures are not controlled, or you have questions about medicine, pregnancy or tests. See a neurologist or psychiatrist; our main epilepsy page explains what an online consultation can do. Many providers offer a free first session.
- You are worried about marriage or family reactions. Read epilepsy and marriage in India.
Everyone in a support group can help in an emergency by knowing seizure first aid. Call 112 if a seizure lasts more than 5 minutes. For mental health support at any hour, call Tele-MANAS free on 14416.
Written by the Mindara editorial team. Sources: Indian Epilepsy Association and Indian Epilepsy Society website (support groups, member associations and chapters pages), checked on 19 October 2026.
