Life is a rollercoaster ride of highs and lows. We all encounter obstacles on the way that challenge us. However, anything is possible when we have the right people around us. Here is the story of Yash, a young man who chose to have the right people in his life through counseling.
Hailing from Madhya Pradesh, Yash is a 21-year-old student pursuing his B.Pharm from Lovely Professional University. He enjoys playing games, and it is his temporary solution towards things, meditation and walking.
Yash lived with his family for a while and then moved out for college. However, he mentioned that the topic of mental health was one that no one brought up at home.
It remained like this until Yash developed signs of depression. It was after this diagnosis that Yash finally opened up to his friend about his mental health
“I was 12 years old when my dad passed away, and my mom raised me as a single parent. She was not available emotionally as she had to face the world and began working and deprived my time with her.”
Yash was close to his childhood friend with whom he later developed a romantic relationship, that gave him purpose and optimism towards a future they planned together.
“I was manifesting our future together with every day that came, we would make long-term goals discuss about finance and a lot more things.”
He expressed that his childhood was not very nurtured and that he dealt with depression signs quite early but she and the relationship saved him and kept him sane.
Yash had been struggling with anxiety for as long as he could remember, since childhood but the last few years brought a whole lot of changes.
“While my friends had their mothers to discuss their problems I had my grandmother. My mom has evolved as a person for the society, she is working now and is the breadwinner of the family.”
He expressed that he grew up around affluent people and would often come off as reckless/careless in their purview, drastically affecting his relationship with people and his environment.
The diversity of thoughts with his mom has always pushed him towards arguments, and that affected their relationship. Yash mentioned that he had his grandmother to help him through it.
Yash was still figuring out much about his life when his whole purpose shook after almost 9 years.
“I suffered a break-up. There were trust issues as there were instances of infidelity and we had to break up for the best.”
This devasted him as they were together as teenagers and she was the only person who understood him and was there for each other.
He heard about YourDOST through a friend who was initially using the platform, and after discussing it with him he also signed up for the same as his college had a partnership with the organisation as their emotional wellness coach.
“I was afraid and nervous when I came to my first counseling session as I am introvert and do not really speak to a lot of people so it was a lot of pressure.”
Yash’s determination to prioritize his mental health led him towards YourDOST. He mentions that he found it a bit challenging to find the right therapist initially, but once he did, he felt a weight lifted off his shoulders.
‘The greatest discovery of all time is that a person can change his future by merely changing his attitude.’
Oprah Winfrey
He booked his first session with Ms. Krisha and the counselor helped him for 4 months as he was slowly able to get out of my depressive phase.
Through counseling he expressed that he was getting to know himself, which helped him feel better.
He expressed that after he stopped taking his session for a while he engaged in self-harm almost 2 times and this worried him and he decided to come back to therapy to heal through it.
Yash mentions that he developed an unhealthy relationship with himself and constantly blamed himself for any unfortunate situation.
“Every time something went wrong, my first instinct was to blame myself. I felt guilty even in situations where I did nothing wrong, and I would eventually end up shutting myself down.”
Ms. Krisha played a major role in helping Yash improve his relationship with himself.
“I’m very grateful to her for helping me learn to be kinder to myself. It was with her help that I learned to forgive myself and stop feeling guilty for things that were not my fault. When we used to get on a session I used to cry and she provided me with the space to do it.”
He expressed that she taught him the Rubber band technique that helped him through his self-harm instincts and he has been able to stay cautious ever since then.
“If someone sees my hand what will somebody think of me? This worries me and gives me social anxiety.”
He mentioned that this has now slowly changed and he understands his self-worth so much and also has controlled his impulsive behaviour by almost 50%
We asked him if he had a word of gratitude to share for his counselor and this is what he said:
“I am really grateful to my counselor for the help they provided me. She was always proud of me and made me get back on my knees and pushed me to being better.”
Yash mentioned that she helped him navigate through a very difficult situation in his life, and he is extremely grateful for her constant support and kindness. The space created by both his therapists was so safe and secure for Yash. He never felt judged and was showered with constant encouragement. Gone are the days when Yash beat himself up for things that weren’t in his control. He makes a conscious effort to be gentle with himself and always prioritizes his mental health.
Yash’s tale is a reminder that storms don’t last forever and that things do get better. You just need to have faith! He mentions that he is in a much better place today and rates himself with a 4 out of 5 in terms of feeling better.
Yash’s Warrior Tips:
1.“Nothing is more important than you and your dreams. Never give up on that. ”
2.“Acknowledge that you may have gone through something and that you need help. “
3.“Give therapy a try since not everyone around you might have the skills to understand what you are going through. ”
