Being an introvert or extrovert is purely based on one’s personality, and it is completely fine to be one of the two or even both.
Our YD warrior, Ritik (name changed), is an introvert. Hailing from Hyderabad, Ritik is doing his BBA at Mahindra University.
“I was a big introvert during my childhood. I was scared to talk and kept overthinking at all times. Hence, I did not have a lot of friends.”
Ritik describes his relationship with his mother as the closest one he ever had. He used to get along well with his cousins and family, but those relationships were not as close. He was attached to his mother till the 10th standard.
“The pandemic was my happiest time. I would not have to go out and mingle with anybody and felt relieved.”
The happiness was but short-lived. The major wipeout that took the lives of loved ones around the globe struck Ritik’s family as well. He lost his grandfather and was under the grasp of the deadly disease himself. He was as sad at the moment as anyone would have, but fortunately felt better after a few days.
Initially, Ritik couldn’t find a course that best suited him after schooling. After a while, he got into Mahindra University for a BBA course. He stepped into a new realm altogether and was mesmerised by the new environment.
“I came down with a fever on the first day of the hostel, owing to a bad start to my college life.”
It is difficult to get used to new surroundings, new beginnings and new routines for everyone. Gradually, one gets a hang of it and starts getting used to it. Not long after, Ritik, too caught up with the routine as everyone else, made some good friends, and got close to his circle.
Despite his efforts to be out of his comfort zone, he still used to hesitate to talk to people and ended up in embarrassing situations.
“During a seminar in college, I heard about YourDOST. Initially, I wasn’t confident about therapy, but gradually, I came to understand that it wasn’t as complicated as I thought it might be. It was about opening up and sharing our concerns to find the help we need.”
Taking help and talking to someone about our concerns is nothing to be ashamed of. Ritik found his counsellor, Ms Kaynat, as his mentor and guided him through his battles. She listened to all his fears and concerns without judgment and provided all the help he needed.
Kaynat shared easy ways to manage Ritik’s emotions and provided tips to control his stage fright.
She held his hand through it all to understand all the levels of grief he experienced. She was the book of perfect solutions for all his questions and helped him evade the dark waters with resilience.
Everyone around us has their battles to fight, and not everyone understands the problems we go through. However, our parents and family, who love us the most, can be of massive help during these stormy days.
Ritik recalls in his childhood, he talked only to his mother, his family and his cousins. “At home, everyone genuinely cares about you and loves you unconditionally. Nevertheless, in the hostel, everyone pretended to care but were never there when I needed them.”
Not knowing what to do and feeling confused can be like being stranded on an unknown island. The land is alien, the waters are unknown, and you feel lost in the whirlpool of emotions. Ritik felt no different than this. He felt lost and did not know who to turn to. He even tried being in a relationship, but unfortunately, it did not work.
“I was confused and had no control over the whirlwind of emotions I felt. I didn’t know how to balance my emotions, and that scared me to the core.”
Ritik overcame most of his problems with the activities that were shared with him by his therapist. He could understand the core of his emotions and act on them based on that. He also tried the lighthouse technique to conquer his stage fright and passed with flying colours. The breathing exercises shared with him helped get his panic attacks under control as well.
“I got most of my answers and the reasons behind my concerns. At times when I still act up, the support given to me by Kaynat helps me control myself and channel my energy elsewhere.”
Ritik has immense and heartfelt gratitude towards his therapist and the YourDOST platform. He had his share of doubts and hesitations in the initial days but gradually got to experience the positive changes himself.
Ritik has come a long way and is confident that he can analyze a situation better than he used to do earlier. He rates himself a golden 4 on 5 n terms of progression, which is just a stepping stone away from a solid 5. We are manifesting this journey to end with perfection.
Ritik’s Warrior Tips:
1.“Ritik’s Warrior Tips:1.“Judgements always come and go but never let that impact you.”
