This is the story of 26 years Vishal and his once an on and off relationship with stress. Yes, you read that right. This Sales Development Representative went through a lot before finally deciding to prioritize his mental health above everything else. But, we might just get ahead of ourselves.
Vishal was born in Kerala, brought up in Dubai and Pune has approximately 3 years of experience in the sales department. Along with this, following the footsteps of his favourite songwriter/composure Ed Sheeran, Vishal enjoys composing music on his guitar too!
Things were going relatively well for Vishal until one day, he realized things could be better. A thought occurred to his mind, “Am I enjoying this place? Is this what I want to pursue?” Now, being in the same field throughout, this came as a surprise for Vishal.
“I was getting unsure of what the future may hold. I had a goal in mind but I was feeling stuck due to all the work stress. Few of my personal issues added on to this burden.”
Even though the sales field is perceived as a hectic work environment by many, it was a cakewalk for Vishal. But, over time, he felt like he had outgrown his position. Vishal was feeling stuck in the same loop and he started getting worried once he saw a difference in the way he used to connect with other people.
Vishal began to feel unworthy of himself as he was developing a hefty amount of self-doubt. Work stress had then gotten on his nerves, as he soon became quiet, which contradicted his original personality of being an energetic person.
“I stopped liking this new version myself. I know I’m not like that usually. I told the same to my friends and family members too, and they were very supportive.”
One day, Vishal achieved his goal of getting promoted. But, with a lot of happiness came a storm of questions and self-doubt where Vishal was not feeling like he’s achieved what he truly wanted. The loop of confusion, questions and stress needed to be broken.
Like many of us, Vishal was not much familiar with the idea of therapy but the ongoing work stress pushed him to explore the same. Through his organization’s resources, he got to know about YourDOST and reached out to a counselor to get answers to his questions.
“I knew one thing that these counselors will be non-judgemental, so I went with an open mind. I got connected with two different counselors, via chat option.”
With his first counselor, Vishal discussed his work stress related issues. She was a patient listener and helped Vishal overcome the issue by suggesting a few techniques. The counselor advised Vishal to jot down his short term and long term goals and work towards them slowly.
Vishal was also advised to learn something new from his current job, to meet his short term goals and not feel exhausted with it. Therapy taught Vishal proper planning and its execution.
“Writing things down was far better than thinking about it. My second counselor was a male and with him, I discussed my personal issues. He taught me a big lesson on how I can confront my issues rather than running away from them.”
The counselor suggested Vishal sit alone for 10 minutes every day and welcome all the dark and negative thoughts that may come. This way, Vishal learned how he can confront and control his thoughts.
“I got more clarity on what I enjoy the most. I’m doing the same job now at the same place, but with a different perspective.”
Vishal was overjoyed to see how his overthink and work stress had lessened down. He began to mingle with others again and even saw a spike in productivity. He generously extends his hearty gratitude to the counselors for helping him be the person he is today!
Initially, though Vishal was adamant about seeking help, he still thought the online therapy mightn’t work. But, to his surprise, he loved every bit of it and even urged some of his friends to seek therapy. Isn’t that inspiring? He is grateful to his counselors for a smooth experience and also for helping him align his vision and actions.
“Therapy gave me clarity and the convenience and accessibility of a remote therapy session was indeed the best part.”
Vishal rated his overall improvement through therapy a shining 5 on 5, and we couldn’t agree more! From all of us at YourDOST, we wish Vishal the best of luck in his future career endeavours!
Vishal’s Warrior Tips:
1. Never be afraid to talk about your issue, let your emotions out. Do not suppress them, it will only make things worse.
2. Then, try to get into the root cause of the issue and try to resolve it from there itself. If not, however, remember, a therapist is just a click away.
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.
