TB survivor, India
I was diagnosed with Tuberculosis in April last year. I had been working in the public health sector for two years and still was not ready to accept that I had TB. People with TB are considered to be cursed in India no matter who you are. The first few weeks were more of a mental torture than physical because it took a lot of effort for me to accept the fact that I have TB. Till date only my parents, doctor and I know of my TB. Not even my real brother knows about it. For others I was just unwell for a couple of weeks. The treatment went for 6 months and just after a week into my treatment I started working in the community with TB hospitals and TB patients. My parents were scared but I was adamant. And trust me that really helped me overcome my mental torture. I know TB is a communicable disease but the depression and social stigma which come wit it is an NCD. I had a number of break downs but I was lucky to have my family around. The treatment or the disease was not a problem but the inability to openly talk and feel my disease was the biggest problem. I still have not told anyone about and I don't think I will ever be able to do so. No matter how educated the other person the reaction to a disease like TB will always be disturbing. Recently, one of the patients at the hospital I work died not because of the disease or treatment but the social stigma. She committed suicide and died. We usually ignore the underlying NCDs associated with communicable diseases like TB.