“Moving on can be hard but once you make the decision, you will see how you create a path for so many new and exciting things to enter your life that would never have happened if you didn’t make a change and move on.”
In India, divorce is still considered a major taboo. Archaic societal norms force numerous couples to live in toxic marriages to maintain an image in society. This comes at the cost of their mental health. Anshika (name changed) was someone who decided to fight back and get out of her toxic marriage, and while it came with its challenges, she is ready to face them head-on.
My marriage was one of the worst experiences of my life. I was tortured for dowry and my in-laws forced me to quit my Master’s degree and were very apprehensive about me writing my exams.
After marriage, Anshika found herself trapped in a regressive Indian family and she realised that her husband was gay. All of this pushed her into a depressive state two months into the marriage.
During this, a big fight broke out between her and her in-laws as they were not letting her finish writing her Master’s exams from Lovely Professional University. This was when Anshika decided to storm out and go back to live with her parents.
“My in-laws never let me talk to my parents, but once it hit the worst point I knew it was time for me to walk out. My parents and my brother were extremely supportive of my struggles and urged me to visit a counselor, as I was unable to eat and was having constant anxiety attacks.”
Thankful to her supportive parents, Anshika took help and decided to approach YourDOST. Her expert, Clinical Psychologist, Amrita Arvind, helped her through all this and gave her the courage to end this marriage.
“I was having persistent anxiety attacks every day but my therapist analysed everything that I was saying and she helped me channel my thoughts into a more positive way while dealing with my problems.”
Amrita helped her by providing emotional support during the separation from her husband and taught her some self-acceptance exercises to get through her bad days and to focus on the positive aspects of her life. This helped Anshika become less self-critical and more conscious about the things around her.
Everything was happening so fast, but my sessions helped me channel my thoughts into being kinder on myself and I built resilience in myself.
While Anshika is battling out her divorce, she knows that she is on the journey of getting her life back on track. Every day is a battle, filled with good and bad days, but she has regained her strength to fight through with the constant support from her family and therapist.
“I am grateful to my therapist for being my truest support. She made me feel so comfortable throughout the process and I felt so heard and respected. I am looking forward to more sessions with Amrita ma’am.”
Are you someone who has gone through a difficult phase and emerged stronger and better, with some professional help? Share your story with us to encourage thousands of others who might be struggling. Click here to submit your story.
Anshika’s Warrior Tips:
1. You have one life, and it is your life. So live your truest self.
2. Live for yourself and not for your insecurities.
3. It is never too late to get better and start living; just take the next step.
