Pavan is a 28-year-old corporate employee from Andhra Pradesh. He completed his Bachelor’s in technology from NIT and his Master’s in business administration from the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore (IIMB). He is currently working on strategy-related aspects in a start-up company.
Pavan explains that he had a challenging childhood as he was dyslexic, and he lost his father during the primary school phase of his life. He elaborates that he migrated back to their native with his mother and sister after his father passed away. They also had to experience a lot of financial struggle.
“During school, I used to love roller skating and be involved more in it, but after my dad left us, it was more about survival for us. Despite my learning difficulties, I started focusing more on academics and finished school and college.”
Pavan adds that the COVID-19 pandemic became another huge obstacle in his life as his close friend was affected by it and passed away. He was depressed and didn’t know how to process his emotions. During the same time, he joined IIMB for his Master’s while facing financial constraints.
During his first semester, Pavan became aware of his university’s tie-up with the YourDOST platform. Since the students had free access, he sought the experts through it.
Pavan connected with Ms Diya Biswas and explained all his issues to her. He says that Ms Diya listened to everything he had to say clearly and started guiding him to take things step by step.
He explains that along with the loss of someone he held dearly, Pavan also had to look after his sister, who developed an autoimmune condition.
“Having all these in my mind, focusing on academics as a dyslexic student was extremely hard, and I couldn’t keep up with competition in the college. I was under a lot of stress.”
Pavan adds that he had gained weight due to the mental pressure and unhealthy coping mechanisms. He explains that having to calculate each of his expenses during a critical phase gave him anxiety and heart palpitations.
He knew that continuing these patterns would make his life more difficult. He didn’t want to talk to his family because he didn’t want to worry them.
“When I started therapy, I was in a mindset where finding a solution became secondary, but I just wanted someone to hear everything I felt about the situation.”
Pavan explains that he found comfort in therapy, and Ms Diya helped him change his perspectives and thought processes about life. He elaborates that life brought him some uncertain and unexpected events and that he felt it was unfair that they were happening to him.
The counselor took the first three sessions to let Pavan explain his issues in a deeper context so she could understand them clearly. Later, she suggested he take one problem at a time by listing all of them first.
Pavan recollects that he used to spend most of his time in his room, and the therapist asked him to go out for a walk with his favourite music and socialise with his friends to enhance his moods. She also suggested breathing techniques for his anxiety. He adds that every suggestion he learned in therapy he continued to use them even after the sessions were over.
“Change didn’t happen in a day; it was a slow process; it took 8 to 9 months, but then I never thought just venting to an expert could drive me towards a solution.”
Upon self-reflection, Pavan elucidates that he saw changes in his behaviour. He could finally understand how his body and mind were reacting to the problems he was facing. He felt himself improving, and he remembers feeling validated for his thoughts.
“Irrespective of the time it took, the entire process and validation I got gave me a sign of strength. YourDOST has been an essential pillar during this journey. “
He recollects thanking his counselor for being supportive through his grief phase and for being his helpline while he was placed in a financially secure job.
“A few years before, I used to feel 1 out of 5, but now, I feel 3 out of 5, and in five more years, it would be five. I have started realising what’s best for me and concentrating on them.”
We are humbled to be part of Pavan’s progress and excited for his future endeavours.
Pavan’s Warrior Tips:
1.“Being vulnerable and sharing how you feel is okay, but I prefer sharing with a professional to ensure confidentiality.”
2.“Being emotionally secure is more important than getting quick solutions.”
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