\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, I\u2019m not light affected, so my triggers are probably alcohol and lack of sleep, which is a bit boring, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n
Reflecting on his only fit in 2019 while with the Saints, Freeman discussed the importance of consistent medication and living a normal life, including nights out, while prioritising safety.<\/p>\n
\u201cThankfully, the tablets all work. Outside of that, I just try to avoid it, as in forget about it\u2026 I just go out and do what I can do, and obviously you\u2019ve got to be careful around alcohol, making sure you get some sleep in\u2026 on nights out.\u201d
\u201cYou\u2019ve just got to be careful, the next day is probably when you\u2019re a bit vulnerable, and you\u2019ve got to make some good decisions, and get past it all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n
For the England star, he has had seizures since 14; he has lived a big chunk of his life with them and got an official diagnosis at 19.<\/p>\n
He talked in detail about the absent seizures he would have as a kid, explaining:
\u201cI was having these conversations where I\u2019d be talking and then I\u2019d just stop\u2026 and that was when I first realised\u2026 I went to the doctors again and they were like, no, you\u2019re still a daydreamer kid.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Freeman\u2019s mother, like any mother, was concerned and would not accept the \u2018daydreamer\u2019 label, leading to a test that confirmed what was happening.<\/p>\n
\u201cApparently, I was having like 30 of these moments a day. That\u2019s called like vacant episodes\u2026 I went on tablets until 16, came off\u2026 I didn\u2019t have anything for like three years.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen the first year or so, that\u2019s when I had this full-blown fit, and then they knew straight away\u2026 It\u2019s definitely permanent, because of your history.\u201d<\/p>\n
Since that time, he has experienced no further incidents, demonstrating his ability to live and play with epilepsy, all while managing his triggers successfully.\u00a0<\/p>\n
What many might view as a barrier, Freeman has instead turned into a testament to his resilience, continuing to excel at the highest level of rugby. Simply by playing the game, he is achieving a massive win that defies the doubts many would cast on an individual living with his condition.<\/p>\n
Freeman is also actively engaged in raising awareness outside of rugby.<\/p>\n
For a long time, his diagnosis remained private. In British sport, there are still relatively few athletes known to have epilepsy, and awareness within the game lags behind other conditions. Freeman has begun to change that. Having worked with the charity Epilepsy Action last year, he is increasingly willing to tackle the subject head\u2011on.<\/p>\n
Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cDefinitely, I don\u2019t think there are many people with epilepsy, or have come out and said they\u2019ve have epilepsy. I think it is growing, and that\u2019s something I\u2019ve tried to do. I had it at 19, and I didn\u2019t come out and say anything until I was 23.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n The condition, he says, is always there somewhere in his thoughts, but he does not let it affect him too much.<\/p>\n \u201cI would say it affects you a little bit. Of course like, [in the] back of your mind\u2026 there\u2019s loads of little things on the pitch as well, and you\u2019re like, \u2018oh, you\u2019re in a bit of a staring fight, I\u2019m going to snap out of this, I need to play rugby\u2019\u2026 there\u2019s loads of little things in the back of your mind that you panic about\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you\u2019re doing something else, you\u2019re just distracted, aren\u2019t you? If it\u2019s not happening, you don\u2019t need to worry about it.\u201d<\/p>\n Worrying about the \u201cifs\u201d is not how Freeman chooses to live. As a professional rugby player, he manages his epilepsy through fundamental self-care, including managing his sleep, being cautious with alcohol, and never missing his tablets.<\/p>\n As he put it in his Reddit reply to fellow sufferers:<\/p>\n \u201cYou put it to the back of your mind and not worry about it.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n![\"Akram](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1633272112478-150x150.jpeg\")
\n
\n
<\/p>\n