“Adolescence isn’t just about prom or sparkly dresses.” – Jane Malone.
Here is Shreya, a 19-year-old student doing her best to work on herself to ease into adulthood. She is pursuing a BA in psychology and economics from a prestigious college in Bangalore.
Shreya was born in the United States, and her parents moved to India the same year she was born. She was raised in Bangalore along with her younger brother. Shreya adds that she has lived in many places in India, but Bangalore has always been close to her heart. She is also interested in singing and storywriting.
Shreya explains that her parents never had a hard time with her and her brother regarding academics. They always intended to cultivate family values and kept discipline as the first priority.
“My childhood has been very positive and healthy. I have always loved my parents, but growing up, I became rebellious and outspoken during my teenage years and gave my parents a tough time.”
Shreya adds that her father used to take her to therapy during school days, but she never felt comfortable as she was a minor, and the therapist had to tell her parents everything she said in therapy.
As she entered the field of psychology during college, Shreya realised the importance of taking care of her mental health and acknowledged her issues with self-esteem. Shreya’s father, a Senior Architect at HCL Technologies, nominated her to avail herself of counselors through his company’s subscription to YourDOST.
“My father told me that the platform is completely confidential and what I speak in therapy will stay there. It felt very assuring, and I started using the platform more extensively than my family members.”
Shreya explained that she connected with Ms Sharmila Mazumdar and Ms Harshita Neog and found both counselors attentive, making her feel heard.
“During school, when I went to therapy, I didn’t like the approach because they used to interrupt my flow. I found the therapists on YourDOST platform to be good listeners and empathetic.”
Shreya explains that she understands her issues very well as a self-aware person. The major help she wanted was to speak her heart out, and she elucidates how she got that in therapy with both counselors.
“Coping with my low self-esteem, having major misunderstandings and arguments with my parents, internally I had a lot of emotional turmoil and felt everyone are against me and no one to support me.”
She recollects needing someone to empathise with her and finally getting that through therapy. Shreya adds that counseling gave her a new perspective on every aspect of her issues and helped her whenever she was having an emotional meltdown.
Shreya needed a healthy outlet for her emotions, so the counselor, understanding that she was good at writing, suggested specific journaling techniques to help her.
“I used to compare myself with others and feel inferior, so Ms Sharmila made me write affirmations and positive things about myself, which was helpful every time I read what I wrote.”
They also suggested that she talk to any available experts or someone trustworthy in her circle whenever she feels overwhelmed so that she doesn’t end up hurting the people around her. Shreya adds that talking or writing about her feelings became a solid coping mechanism, giving her a cathartic outlet.
She explained that she eventually started to appreciate her parents’ efforts more, and her conflicts reduced tremendously. Shreya thanks her counselors for helping her bring her breakdowns and giving her a way to maintain peace of mind.
As she progresses towards her goal, she is delighted that she took the steps to work on herself.
“I’m the only one who talks about therapy openly in my family. By taking the right steps, I’m glad I set the right examples for my younger brother.”
Shreya rates herself a 4 out of 5 for feeling better, and we hope to see her set more prominent examples as she grows.
Shreya’s Warrior Tips:
1.“Never be ashamed to ask for help; do what you must to protect yourself.”
2.“Don’t give into social stigmas that will take us back five generations.”
3.“Don’t let others comment on your well-being; At the end of the day, it’s your life.”
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.
