They say, “childhood is the golden period of one’s life,” and indeed, it is the phase in our lives that makes us who we are today! We all have experienced bitter-sweet moments from our childhood and some of which remain in our minds. 20-year-old Ish’s (name changed) life is filled with such memories, but unfortunately, there is more bitterness than happy, sweet moments.
Ish is a design student at the prestigious NID, and he describes himself as someone who loves to write, sing, and make music! Well, you must be thinking, if someone is so active in their life, how can they have any mental health-related issues, right? Well, that’s where the trouble begins! We often do not realise how much weight we carry on our shoulders until we feel the pain. Something similar happened to Ish, who had a rather traumatic childhood and teenage years.
Ish’s journey has been a rocky one, the primary reason being a lack of empathy and support from his loved ones. Recalling his incidents, he mentioned how his aunt had once slapped him to let go of her anger while Ish was just nineteen years old. At that time, Ish did not realise the impact of such hostile surroundings. He also mentioned, “I knew something was wrong. But never got to know what.” Ish’s mind was filled with negative energy and lack of support a child would need, so he started going home late at night not to have his parents around. Ish complained about not staying focused while studying and how that led him to fail many exams.
Ish would also often complain about zoning out, but no one was there for him. Finally, all these feelings and suffocation made Ish decide to end his life by suicide. Luckily, he did not end his life but began to indulge in self-harm. Ish’s mind was haywire at this point, but he did not quit yet! He wanted to consult a professional, but due to a lack of comfort, he could not ask for help from his near and dear ones.
Along with all these, Ish even had to face a breakup and was always pulled in between any fights his family members would have. Due to such negativity, Ish began to feel anxious, which led him to have panic attacks quite frequently. Ish often complained about having shortness of breath, chest pain, chills, and fear of losing control.
“I was searching badly for answers and wanted to make myself better. Luckily, my college had YourDOST as their emotional wellness partner, and I got to know about their counseling services.”
Ish had finally arrived! He began his counseling sessions with YourDOST expert, and he started getting the nudge he always needed. Ish was impressed with the warmth and compassion he felt with his counselor. Earlier, Ish used to think, “Only people with severe mental health issues visit a counselor and not someone like him”, but this misconception faded away when the sessions began.
One of Ish’s anxiety symptoms was to overthink, and hence often, he would forget the flow of his words while communicating. After a couple of sessions, Ish’s compassionate attitude helped him articulate his concerns better. He started breaking down his problems and health with them, one step at a time.
“My counselor gave me a reality check and provided a new perspective on how I have solutions all around me, and I just needed to shift my view to use them.”
One of the techniques Ish found helpful was when his counselor asked him to find a creative outlet for feelings! Ish was surprised how well this worked, as he aligned his trauma with his passion and was no more dwelling on the past.
Ish also learnt how to identify the root cause of any problem he might be dealing with through counseling.
“Only when I listed my past trauma, and negative thoughts was when I realised how much I have been carrying all this while.”
Ish often felt like a different person, as his anxiety was at its peak during therapy sessions. But now, Ish is free from panic attacks by his determination towards getting better.
Ish is glad to know that any problem can be seen and solved if looked at from a different point of view. As a result, he doesn’t judge himself anymore; unlike the harshness, he showed on himself in the past. While asked about Ish’s opinions on his counselor, he said, “She was like Google Maps! She knew all the routes, and directed me with the path I needed to follow”. Ish is elated to see himself as an evolved individual.
When asked about rating his counseling experience out of 10, Ish replied,
“I would not rate myself rather, I would say that I was a (-10) and now I am a 7 out of 10.”
We, at YourDOST, salute Ish for showing such bravery by acknowledging the wrongdoing and taking a stand for himself!
Ish’s Warrior Tips:
1. Always look at the bigger picture.
2. Always focus on the brighter side of situations.
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