“Your wings already exist, all you have to do is fly.” – John Wooden.
Sometimes in life, we come across situations that suddenly make everything seem clear. It can be a diagnosis, a revelation or even a heartfelt talk with someone that provides you with the clarity you always longed for. Everything you felt, sensed or experienced, starts making sense and you are no longer in the dark.
Meet Sanchit (name changed), a 23-year-old first-year MBA student at the prestigious XLRI Delhi. He is born and raised in the City of Pearls, Hyderabad and has done his BTech from NIIT Rajasthan. He has been away from his home for almost 4-5 years now, owing to his studies.
“I quit from IIIT Hyderabad before joining NIIT due to extreme academic pressure and an intense dislike towards the methods of teaching and the subjects I was learning. An overall inferiority complex developed over me during my stay at IIIT Hyderabad almost taking away any interests or passion I had in life.”
Sanchit started feeling low in the beginning of 2019 just after he dropped out of IIIT Hyderabad. However, due to Covid in the next year, he stayed home for a majority of his B.tech journey unable to socialize but living among animosity within his family as they weren’t and still aren’t happy with his decision to drop out of IIIT Hyderabad.
“I am a single child, and I come from a nuclear family. I have been quite disconnected from them owing to my academic decision and have been working on it.
Sanchit discovered the YourDOST platform from his institution as they collaborated with the organisation as their official mental health partner. He met Ms Meghna Nair and chose her as his counsellor for the days ahead.
“Initially, the idea of therapy and counselling seemed intimidating to me. It was not my first time taking therapy, but my past experiences weren’t great so they had a lasting effect on me.”
Sanchit describes his experience with Ms Meghna to be contrary to his past experiences. She was an active listener and an even better communicator. She knew all the right questions to ask during sessions and understood him better than anyone else. His anxiety attacks and overall mental well-being were going through a rough patch hence he approached therapy seeking help.
“She helped me articulate my feelings and helped me with techniques and activities that helped me a lot. She was an expert in providing quick answers and long-term solutions simultaneously.”
Sanchit recalls how he was diagnosed with anxiety and depression a couple of years ago, but he didn’t feel it as a sudden change. He started feeling low in 2019 and feels the diagnosis to be an extension of it.
“I faced a lot of issues in communicating and being around my family, which led to the subsequent disconnection from them.”
He felt a lot better when he cracked his CAT exam and got in for an MBA after completing his BTech. However, the constant feeling of emptiness and lack of contentedness followed him and started feeding on his thoughts. Even the smallest of tasks like getting out of his room and talking to friends seemed daunting for him.
Take a look around yourself and you’ll find several plants or shrubs which grow out of place and need a trim every now and then to keep it healthy and beautiful. In the same way, a human needs a push every now and then to keep themselves healthy, both mentally and physically, which is the role played by a therapist.
At this point in time, Ms Meghna stepped in and helped Sanchit navigate through the difficult terrain of his life with several techniques and activities.
“The activity that helped me immensely was box breathing. Practising this breathing exercise helped me calm myself and even sleep better at night. I was suffering from a lack of sleep due to restlessness and this technique helped me overcome it.”
Sanchit was also advised to start journaling and jotting down his thoughts and emotions to feel better internally. Here he could express himself in a crystal clear manner that helped him in the long run.
“Gradually, I became much more calm and my demeanour started transforming. Although some issues may not change at all, I have found the inner strength to overcome them and move on with my life.”
Sanchit expressed his heartfelt gratitude towards his counsellor for holding his hand through the darkness and helping him reach the end of the tunnel. He has rated himself a 3 out of 5 in terms of feeling better as he is still on the journey of healing, and we at YourDOST are positive that he will hit the golden 5 in no time!
We wish Sanchit all the best in all of his future endeavours!
Sanchit’s Warrior Tips:
1.“ Identify your triggers and weak points and do not delay to begin the journey of healing.”
2.“Always make it a point to talk about your concerns to a friend or a professional to get a better understanding of yourself.”
