The Bachelor’s’ Carolina Opens Up About Epilepsy Journey: ‘The Heaviest Secret to Carry’

Bachelor Nation fans are watching Carolina look for love each week with Grant Ellis on Season 29 of “The Bachelor.”

This week, during her one-on-one date, Carolina got candid about her journey with epilepsy and what it’s like living with an invisible disability.

Now, she’s opening up more on social media in a new post.

Alongside a video of her talking about her condition with Grant, Carolina wrote, “My epilepsy journey has been the heaviest secret to carry for the past 15 years ❤️‍🩹I was so ashamed for so long because I was made to feel like a total freak, for lack of a better word, by people I surrounded myself with. When my symptoms started at 13, and my tremors made me drop things, my friend constantly acted repulsed and said I freaked her out. Since then, I dreaded anyone seeing me in the mornings until I felt my tremors were under control.”

Carolina continued on, sharing, “Doctors couldn’t figure out what was wrong until I had my first grand mal seizure at 17. I hated myself for a very long time and I suffered in silence. I didn’t want anyone to judge me or be afraid of me, and I was my own harshest critic. Some of my closest friends came to find out only recently, and I’d definitely never shared this with anyone so early into knowing them. I never wanted anyone to feel sorry for me or try to limit me, and I was tired of being made to feel like an inconvenience.”

The Bachelor Nation star explained that she was “terrified” to share her story because she didn’t want people to reject her because of something completely out of her control.

Now that she’s opened up about her experience she says she feels like a “weight has been lifted from my shoulders.”

She shared that she’s now two years seizure free and is surrounded by people who love and accept her for her entire true self.

Carolina has loved connecting with so many people who have made her feel less alone and said that she’s reading every message she’s gotten from others who’ve resonated with her story.

She ended her emotional post, “A big shout out to production for taking such great care of me, and to Grant for handling this sensitive subject with so much grace. I’ll never forget the kindness you all showed me. Thank you for finally making me feel seen 🫶🏻.”