Ayush Soni is a 24-year-old from Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, living in Delhi. As a bright student and talented footballer, his future seemed full of promise—a bright young mind who pursued a B.Com Honours from Shri Ram College of Commerce.
Having been in the corporate world for quite some time, he took a much-needed career break to relax and rejuvenate his energy to bounce back stronger to work and give his all. Ayush loves to read and shows a great interest in history as he’s a history nerd. He enjoys reading spy thrillers and gaining knowledge from books on entrepreneurship.
Ayush’s endeavours extend to marathons, cycling, and even the adventurous domain of trekking during his break. Hailing from Bhopal, renowned as the City of Lakes, the lakes became Ayush’s training ground to learn swimming.
Childhood was good with a pinch of hardship related to financial struggles. The struggle and constraints during this period became catalysts for change, moulding his mindset and fostering rapid maturation.
“Yes, there were a few challenges but my parents gave me enough. I had no complaints about their contribution. I was happy and content.”
Ayush’s college began and it was all very new for him. Making friends, dealing with relationships and academics everything was happening at once.
“We’re not taught how to deal with our emotions since our childhood. We should get some education or learning about understanding our emotions.”
It was during this difficult period around age 18 that Ayush first started facing mental health issues. As a teenager, navigating through relationships and career choices became pivotal aspects of his life, yet there was a noticeable absence of guidance on handling these emotional nuances.
Ayush identified a crucial need for emotional intelligence and support, challenging societal expectations that often push men to suppress their emotions. The realisation that emotions are an inherent part of the human experience prompted Ayush to seek assistance in dealing with the emotional turbulence he faced.
The pandemic posed new struggles. Isolated and lonely, Ayush sunk into anxiety. At his bleakest hour, he needed a professional’s help.
In his second year of college, Ayush realised his university had partnered with YourDOST to provide on-campus counseling. Sceptical at first, he decided to give it a try.
Connecting with counselors via chat and voice calls, he received the support he desperately needed. Their guidance and encouragement nursed him back to health again.
“My counselor provided me with space to share my difficulties which made it easier for me to be vulnerable and share every bit.”
Equipped with practical coping strategies like journaling, breathing techniques and meditation, he slowly found his inner light again. Counseling sessions became his lifeline.
As therapy steered Ayush towards clarity, he expressed his gratitude towards the platform for showing unwavering support and help.
“I’m thankful to YourDOST and all the counselors for the tremendous efforts because it is not as easy as it looks. They give their best and help people out in their difficult times.”
Today, Ayush is determined to end the stigma around mental health issues. He shares his story openly on social media, inspiring many facing similar struggles.
Ayush rates his transformational journey a solid 4 out of 5 in terms of getting better post-therapy sessions. He believes that every individual keeps evolving and changing, we all learn new things with each passing day and hence he will continue on the voyage for a better version of himself.
Ayush’s Warrior Tips:
1.“I would just like to say that, sometimes you can’t change the situation, but you can change the way you think about the situation which might help give a new perspective and also solve the problem.”
2.“Talking to people is always recommended, what I would suggest is to write down your thoughts if you can’t share it. The goal is to let the emotions out, be it writing.”
