“Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Life can be tough sometimes, pushing us to our limits. It’s during these hard times that we discover how strong we really are. This story is about facing challenges, overcoming difficulties, and growing more substantial from the experience. It shows how, by not giving up, we can find our true strength and transform our lives.
Ram Bhupati is a 24-year-old from Hyderabad pursuing biochemical engineering at the prestigious IIT BHU.
Ram describes his childhood as going smoothly. He didn’t like to study much and attended classes mainly due to familial pressure. Despite a strict upbringing and rebellious tendencies, Ram immensely enjoyed his passions for mixed martial arts, acting, and cinema.
“My childhood was filled with strict rules from my parents, and I met them with rebellion. While my relationship with my family was always good, it was marked by a significant loss when my father passed away when I was nine. I was too little to process it fully.”
Ram has spent most of his school and college time in hostels, leaving very little time with his family, which consists of his mother and siblings. However, he maintains a good relationship with everyone as he is very fond of his folks.
Ram first heard about YourDOST from his cousin at IIT Bombay and later learned about it through his college, which partnered with the organisation as its official mental health partner.
“When I needed someone to listen, my cousin introduced me to YourDOST. It was a lifeline during a very challenging time.”
Ram chose Ms Urvashi Gautam as his counsellor and described his first session with her as warm and welcoming.
“She was very understanding and provided the right insights on how to think about changing my actions towards my family and my surroundings. It was comforting to talk to her.”
Ram’s need for therapy stemmed from his undiagnosed bipolar disorder, which led to dangerous behaviour like over-shopping and negative remarks about his family. This eventually resulted in hospitalisation and ECT therapy, leaving Ram feeling depressed and anxious as side effects of his medication.
“It was a tough time for me to even exist. My whole body pulsated with anxiety all day, every day, for many months.”
Despite the challenges, therapy with Urvashi helped him tremendously. Once Ram’s medication was regulated, he started seeing positive changes.“With therapy and applying the techniques I learned, I overcame a lot of my anxiety. The
SMART Planning techniques were particularly helpful, as the goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.”
Ram’s journey of self-discovery involved changing his perspective and making small but impactful changes in his life.
“Urvashi helped me change my perspective and look forward to doing things better. The techniques she taught me were absolutely helpful. Thanks for helping me during a difficult period in my life.
In terms of feeling better, Ram rates himself 4 out of 5, seeing improvement as feeling better and more confident.
We at YourDOST are proud of Ram’s journey and would love to see him grow and improve! We wish him all the happiness and luck in the future.
Ram’s Warrior Tips:
1.“When you’re facing mental difficulties, you won’t always think straight. Having someone who can untangle your clutter and guide you in the right direction is immensely helpful.”
2.“Slowly, you’ll get back on track once the clutter in your mind has been decluttered.”
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.
