Fatima Sana Shaikh recently took to social media to reveal her struggles with epilepsy. The actress, who was diagnosed with epilepsy while she was preparing for the 2016 film Dangal, wrote on Instagram, “(I) was diagnosed when I was training for Dangal. I got an episode and woke up straight at the hospital... Tab pata chala epilepsy naam ki koi cheeze hoti hai. (I) was in denial first (for five years). Now, I’ve learnt to embrace it, work & live around it.”

Fatima added that she informs all her directors that she has epilepsy. “They have always been very supportive and understanding. They know of the challenges they might face on the days I get an episode,” she wrote.

When someone asked how she deals with the health condition, Fatima wrote that she has a “good support system” comprising her family, friends and pet, and that “some days are good”, but some are “not so great”.

The actress addressed her battle while hosting a social media Q&A session to raise awareness about epilepsy. November is known as Epilepsy Awareness Month, and on November 3, Fatima had also posted a lengthy note, explaining what the condition is all about.

She wrote, “Epilepsy is a brain disorder that causes recurring, unprovoked seizures due to disturbed nerve cell activity living in the brain. You are often diagnosed with epilepsy if you have two or more unprovoked seizures. Epilepsy may occur as a result of a genetic disorder or a brain injury, but many people never know the cause.”