Tanisha is a 22-year-old student pursuing her B.Tech in Computer Science from Bennett University, Greater Noida.
She comes from Kanpur, where she lives with her parents, elder sister, younger brother, and occasionally her grandparents. Although Tanisha had an excellent relationship with her family, she always preferred sharing her thoughts or issues with her friends as she found them to be more understanding.
Tanisha loves to write poetry and listen to good music. She is curious and likes to explore different hobbies, from working out in the gym to playing musical instruments like keyboard and drums.
Tanisha explained that she had always been good at academics during school. She also got acquainted with her classmates from primary school and travelled with the same friends until 12th grade; they were all very close and connected to her.
“Things changed when I began my undergraduate studies; the pandemic hit, and lockdown was imposed. I couldn’t make new friends as our classes were online, and I started to feel bad because even my school friends started becoming distant.”
Tanisha says that after the lockdown when her classes started offline, it felt overwhelming to be in a new environment and meet new people. She explains that she was clueless about making new friends while some fights were developing with her old friends. She adds that the reason for the fights was built up over the course of their friendship, and after a point, all the emotions came out.
Even though Tanisha didn’t want to continue speaking to her old friends as she knew it would hurt her, she continued to reach out to them. She recollects calling and messaging them frequently but did not get a proper response. Coping with all these issues, along with the academics, started to burden Tavisha, eventually making her highly anxious.
She remembers feeling as though her heart rate and blood pressure increased suddenly, and she used to break down and cry hard to bring the feeling down. As she couldn’t keep the emotions within herself anymore, Tavisha briefly spoke about her issues with a classmate she was sitting with at her college.
She suggested Tavisha approach YourDOST, as her college had a subscription to the platform. Tavisha felt inclined to try her option as her classmate expressed that she had been using the platform for almost eight months and had a pleasant experience.
Tavisha recollects downloading the app the same evening and booking a session with the available expert. She explains that in the first session, she cried her heart out as losing her friends of more than ten years was hard on her.
She elaborates that she started opening up about her issues and working on them in her second session. She says the counselor was calm and listened to everything she had to say with an open mind.
“The therapist made me feel very comfortable, and I felt like I was talking to a friend.”
Tavisha spoke to the counselor about her emotions and how she tried reaching out to her friends even after they blocked her on social media. She elucidates crying so hard that even her nose started to bleed sometimes.
“I was never the person who would feel desperate to keep someone in my life. It was not just affecting my mental health but also affected my academics.”
She elaborates that she has always prioritised her career above everything and didn’t want anything to distract her. Tavisha adds that taking the session prevented such a scenario and helped her keep her focus, especially when she moved to Hyderabad for her internship.
She adds that just speaking out everything in her mind reduced the burden she was feeling, and it became easier for her to work on her issues.
Tavisha explains that after every session, her counselor gave her some tasks she had to do until the next session. The therapist helped Tavisha blend in with her new surroundings through those activities.
“We used to call the tasks ‘homework’ that must be finished before the next session. Once, the therapist asked me to socialise with at least three new people a day for an entire week and explore Hyderabad for another week because I wasn’t getting out much. She even suggested I try a good filter coffee somewhere outside and away from my phone.”
Tavisha explains that all the activities drastically enhanced her mood, made her feel lighter, and improved her sleep patterns. Exploring the city, experiencing new things, and observing her surroundings gave her a sense of calm and peace after a very long time. She could finally feel that she wasn’t dependent on her friends anymore.
She also started noting down her emotions and thoughts at the counselor’s suggestion, which she says has helped her tremendously.
As she started making new friends and found balance in life, Tavisha elucidated that her therapist was her saviour when she felt stuck.
“In the last session, my therapist told me – ‘no more homework for you’ I felt emotional because I never thought I would move on and reach that mind space. She was a nice and generous person who indirectly saved my future.”
Tavisha rates herself 5 out of 5 for being in a good mental, physical, and professional state, and we are happy to be part of her healing process.
Tanisha’s Warrior Tips:
1.“Taking care of mental health is crucial as it can impact our physical health and affect our personal and professional lives.”
2.“Experts can help articulate your emotions better when you are overwhelmed, so seek help when needed.”
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