ABC presenter Jules Schiller says he hid epilepsy from girlfriends ...

ABC Radio Adelaide presenter Jules Schiller has revealed he hid his epilepsy diagnosis from friends and colleagues out of fear of being treated differently.

Schiller, who was diagnosed with epilepsy at 27, is one of 250,000 Australians, according to Epilepsy Action Australia, who lives with the neurological disorder which causes seizures.

He discussed living with the condition in a video today for Epilepsy Awareness Day, or Purple Day.

The presenter said he was first diagnosed with the condition after he walked into a costume shop, blacked out and was "suddenly surrounded by an ambulance crew".

"I was confused, I was scared and it is difficult dealing with the fact that suddenly you have a trigger in your brain that could go off at any moment," he said.

"A week later I appeared on (television show) The Panel I sat there, my palms were sweaty, knowing that if I had a seizure over a million Australians would see it."

Schiller first revealed his condition on radio in April 2017 when he said he had to miss a radio sports show because he was being rushed to hospital.

He said he didn't tell girlfriends about his epilepsy diagnosis because he was worried they would find him unattractive. 

"Like many people with epilepsy I deal with it very effectively through lifestyle and medication," he said.

"I didn't tell some friends because I thought they would treat me differently, and that does need to change."

Epilepsy Action Australia CEO Carol Ireland said Purple Day started in 2008 to raise awareness about epilepsy because there was still misunderstanding about the condition. 

She said it was common for people living with epilepsy to face discrimination and avoid telling people about their diagnosis.

"Nobody can really be at fault for having a seizure and people don't do horrible things when they have a seizure," Ms Ireland told the ABC.

"It's quite common for people — and especially young people — to not want to disclose their epilepsy. They just want to be seen like everyone else."

Ms Ireland said while there are many treatments for epilepsy, about 30 per cent of people living with the condition cannot be treated with medication. 

She said it was important for people to understand basic first aid for when someone is having a seizure and know when to call an ambulance.