- Visual Snow
- Interviews
Godwin Dale's interview
How did all start?
The visual static was present as far as I remember, but the other symptoms that comes with visual snow started to show up recently, it was when I was at the verge of stress when my mother died.
Do you already have a diagnosis? How long did it take you to get it?
No, I have not acquired a formal diagnosis because I have not gone through a neurologist, this is because of the ongoing pandemic as well as financial constrains, though I already got my eyes checked by an ophthalmologist, the results were normal.
For what medical specialties have you been treated? What has been the most useful specialty for your?
I haven't undergone any treatment, and knowing the fact that visual snow doesn't have a specific treatment.
What has been the most useful thing for you so far?
Taking breaks, being patient to yourself, and accepting the fact the it is happening.
What have been your biggest difficulties?
I am having emotional breakdowns and anxiety, I feel like I don't have a future ahead of me, so generally speaking, living normally became difficult.
How has your social and family environment reacted? Have your social or family relationships changed?
I haven't told anyone from my family yet, I am not ready to share especially they might never understand.
What things have you stopped doing?
I stopped going outside, I become sick of bright lights because of afterimages keep appearing in my visual field.
What do you think about the future?
As I stated earlier, I think that I don't have a good future ahead, I feel like I am fighting for nothing.
So far, which years have been the best years in your life? What have you done during them?
The best years were during the pre pandemic years, wherein everything is normal, healthcare is accessible, and there is no fear of getting sick.
What would you like to do if you didn’t have your condition?
I would live my life normally, I would like to go outside and enjoy the bright rays of the sun, look at the different lights at night without the fear of it becoming an afterimage.
If you had to describe your life in a sentence, what would it be?
My life is like a limbo, wherein everything is uncertain and I just hope that there will come a time that everything will at least be better,
Finally, what advice would you give to a person in a similar situation?
Be strong, calm, patient, and understanding, with yourself, because there is no one who can best understand your situation than yourself, as symptoms may worse or progress, you need to be more open to changes, I also advice to educate yourself about visual snow, to better understand what is happening to yourself, and lastly find a support system that will understand you, and will help you throughout.
