Asthma UK are currently conducting a census to see how well people across the UK (and it does include NI) are controlling their asthma. You can take part here.

I scored 22, basically meaning 'OK, but could do better' (which I knew already). They don't quite make it clear whether higher scores are good or bad, but I think it's the latter - certainly, my score is a little higher than average, which fits with the not-quite-having-it-under-total-control thing.

The thing is, keeping it under total control means inhaling a mild dose of steroids every day. I do do that during the winter, but during the summer my asthma isn't actually that bad, so I prefer to just suffer the occasional very minor attack. I'm not sure whether that makes me irresponsible or not, but it doesn't interfere with my life, so I'm happy with it.