ಸ್ಫೂರ್ತಿ

Srishti Dixit's Journey With Asthma

Asthma is a chronic condition of the lungs which currently affects 3.5 crore individuals in India alone. The condition cannot be cured, but with the right medication, it can be easily managed.

While asthma is a term that almost everyone is aware of, the nuances of the condition aren't common knowledge to the public. Several misconceptions related to asthma, ranging from what the individual can or cannot do when diagnosed, to whether or not the medication itself is safe to use, have cropped up due to social stigma.

Social stigma hinders the individual from seeking appropriate treatment.

With the second leg of #BerokZindagi in full swing, we thought it was important to break as many myths as possible and worked towards bringing more non-asthmatics into the fold by educating them about the condition, what it entails, and the different treatments available for the condition.

In lieu of this, we tied up with Shrishti Dixit, outspoken asthma who shared with us her asthma story, highlighting how unsure she was about using inhalers due to her lack of knowledge about the condition.

Growing up, Shrishti had never faced any breathing conditions. She was always a healthy child and had never entertained the possibility of falling sick.

However, one night, at 2 a.m. in 2018, Shrishti started to experience breathing problems. Her chest was congested and no matter how hard she tried, she could not breathe. Nothing she did worked and she finally had to call her friend and ask her to rush her to the emergency room.

The diagnosis of her asthma scared her, not only because of the diagnosis itself but because of the way in which she found out about her condition.

Even though her friend rushed her to the emergency room, she did not take her condition seriously until the doctor gave her the diagnosis. It was at this time that the doctor told her to incorporate the use of an inhaler to her daily life and schedule. Being completely unaware of the condition, Shrishti's first question was whether the inhaler would be safe to use. She was quite worried about the side effects of the inhaler and whether using it would do more harm than good.

The doctor, however, was quick to reassure her. He said that with the help of the inhaler, she would be able to effectively manage her condition.

Today, using her inhaler promptly is a good habit that Shrishti has developed. She does not leave her house in the morning without carrying the inhaler in her bag.

The addition of the inhaler in her life has helped her pursue her dreams and achieve heights that she previously thought impossible. She has even given consideration to learning new physical activities like swimming.

Currently, she is very involved in various social engagements and loves to dance.

She is of the thorough belief that people who have asthma should talk about their condition with their friends as well as with people who are non-asthmatics. She thinks it is necessary for asthmatics to have a conversation about their asthma with people who aren't in the same privilege circle as well. By doing this, the social stigma that is usually attached to asthma will dissipate and along with it, the barrier to proper medical treatment.

You can watch her entire interview here.

To help asthmatics in India, we have created a Breathefree helpline - 9873 33 55 77. You can use this helpline to locate a nearby doctor or book an appointment.

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