The celebrated artist and director David Lynch openly discussed fighting emphysema, a chronic lung condition that he says decades of smoking triggered. He shocked the world with the frank statement by admitting that his illness had actually curtailed his mobility so much that “I can hardly walk across a room”. Still he continues to work on projects from remote and remains optimistic and creatively engaged.
The Health Journey of David Lynch
Lynch, 78 years old, spoke on his lifelong affection with smoking and its sensory appeal. He admitted that this habit carried a cost. Since his emphysema diagnosis, he has avoided smoking for more than two years. Lynch reflected on his experience and told smokers to think about quitting, given the very serious and permanent harm smoking can do to one’s health.
Managing Emphysema
One of the most difficult respiratory diseases to treat, emphysema causes progressive destruction of lung tissue in the delicate air sacs, leaving a person unable to breathe easily. As Lynch points out, emphysema does not seem to adversely affect his health overall, but it considerably limits his natural physical aptitudes. His candor about the disease belongs to wider public health campaigns aimed to spread awareness about the dangers of smoking and benefits of quitting.
Innovative Resilience
Lynch remains highly creative and continues to actively contribute to the arts despite being housebound due to his emphysema. He keeps on making short films, contributes to music collaborations, and creates content for the internet. His entire message to smokers and fans all over this world speaks to his tenacity and devotion to his craft and to his health.
Message for Public Health
Another message that Lynch’s open admission brings home is that smoking is risky.Medical professionals say the best way to treat emphysema and to stop further damage to the lungs is to quit smoking. Lynch’s experience brings a real and personalized face and voice to this message, giving smokers a strong reason to quit smoking once for all.This is what Lynch says: “Smoking had a lot of long-term dangers for my body.Emphysema slowly destroys lung tissue and breathes is not easy. It often is directly associated with smoking and air pollution. The best way to control and the pace of progression of the disease is quitting smoking, although it cannot be cured. For people who might still be smoking or are thinking about quitting, this discovery is both a warning and a call to action
