Some truths about Vitiligo and Me

I need to rant about this a bit more, as I’ve already done here and here !!! Hope you’ll still read through this post.

Recently, I had read this Editorial in The Hindu, when I had missed reading the news about it, and it surely had the power to make me feel sad, angry, irritated all at the same time. It was this article :

Ignorance is not Bliss

And I am sure that even you’ll feel terribly annoyed about the insensitivity and ignorance of the majority of the people around us and how they refuse to accept to your medical condition.

Ok. I am talking about leucoderma or vitiligo, which is the condition of any person whose melanin glands goes for a soup. And so the colour of the skin changes from the natural colour to white and might show in patches. Actually there is nothing harmful about this whole situation, apart from the cosmetic looks which might trouble a few.

When I was first diagnosed with this condition 6 years back, there were many people – mostly friends – who noticed it and even asked me about it. I used to feel terribly upset and annoyed that such a thing has happened to me.

I rushed to a Allopathy doctor, who named this condition and gave me some medications. I was also asked to rub some cream over the patches and sit under the morning sun. Now, that was an improbable situation for me, as some patches were quite personal. And the irony of the whole situation was the medicines didn’t agree with me and I started developing rashes, which was worse than the vitiligo !!! So, full stop to allopathic treatment.

Then my friend took me to a Homeopathy doctor and here I found treatment to condition my mind. I probably didn’t think that this doctor can counsel me so well, as I hesitantly went to his clinic. He was one soul, who identified this condition as the result of the trauma which I felt during and after this incident at home.  He also explained that when people are under tremendous stress or when they encounter a traumatic experience and they are unable to talk about it or let out the feelings to others, the whole stress hits the glands or the general functioning of the body and gives way to medical issues.

Diabetes may be the result of a stressful condition hitting the insulin glands.  I also know of a lady whose menstrual cycles stopped abruptly when she was just 40 and heard that her husband has got the Alzheimer’s syndrome.  Stress is a killer in many ways – we just need to find means and methods to let it out.

Even though the homeopathic medicines didn’t work for me, that doctor made an impact on my thinking. I’ve become more of a chatter-box, talking more about my feelings and letting out the stress puffs regularly.

I even attempted to cure this by trying Ayurveda. After 6 months, I gave up on that too.

Now, I do not go for any medications or treatment. All I feel is a positive thinking about this condition and understanding that the patches are no way going to obstruct my life full of happiness.

Its the feel good feeling inside you, which will help you heal – the colour of the skin is totally irrelevant in this life !!!

I say a heartfelt thanks everyday, to that Homeopathy doctor for giving me an insight into my condition and which has helped me to overcome my inhibitions and fears regarding the same. I am less bothered now about what people think about my patches !! Even if they are bothered, I am certainly not affected by it.  Just like other people have medical conditions like diabetes or cholesterol problems, I’ve this. And I am neither apologetic nor feel compelled to explain.

But I do get irritated and angry when people think this condition is hereditary or contagious, which I think or probably know heart of heart is absolutely wrong.

Like how the student was sent out of the college, there are many people who suffer silently out there, with discrimination in the eyes of the society.

Thank God, for a supportive family and friends around me, I’ve always found happiness in their acceptance of my condition. Its an absolute blessing for me.

And I pray to God for the same kind of acceptance to be bestowed on every individual who faces discrimination in the name of Vitiligo. I hereby request the whole society to look into the issue with sensitivity and care, and to treat people with Vitiligo with the same amount of love and respect. Especially, the rude stares can be certainly avoided. Its not a condition that people have gone and got it purposefully, like a tattoo.