“Good things don’t come easy. The road is lined with pitfalls.” – Desi Arnaz.
When we go through a series of unfortunate events in our lives, we often want an easy way out to ease the discomfort. However, there is never a premium subscription for getting good things in life as it should be chased and hard-earned to enjoy its impact. Working for the betterment of yourself will always yield results that would be pleasantly surprising.
Meet Ajith (name changed), a 24-year-old student pursuing a B.Des at CIT Kokrajhar. Originally from Guwahati, Ajith comes from a small and close-knit family of four. He shares a particularly strong bond with his siblings, making his family connections all the more special.
Ajith had a variety of hobbies growing up, one of which was playing the guitar. Though he doesn’t play as much anymore, his love for music has always been a significant part of his life.
Ajith first heard about YourDOST through his college, which has a partnership with the organization as its official mental health partner. Ajith reached out to Anunka Manjal, a counsellor who left a positive first impression on him.
“She was awesome. My first impression was that she really understood me well and listened attentively. She replied nicely and made me feel comfortable.”
When Ajith first contacted Anunka, he was struggling emotionally. Her constructive conversations helped boost his self-confidence and gave him hope. Ajith faced daily challenges with work, time management, and career concerns. His weekly sessions with Anunka helped him become more self-aware.
“Every week, she would ask about my last week and the problems I faced. It forced me to be more self-aware and note down my issues to discuss with her in the next session. That helped me to at least identify my problems.”
Anunka provided practical and experimental solutions for Ajith to try out. She helped him track his progress and refine his approach to problems. At one point, Ajith thought he might have ADHD, but Anunka diagnosed that he did not.
One of the key techniques Ajith learned from Anunka was the Thought Record Sheet, a tool to help him organize his thoughts and be more reflective.
“It’s a quite nice cheat sheet where I can write things in columns and be more thoughtful.”
Ajith also practised grounding and calming exercises like the 54321 technique and deep breathing exercises whenever he felt anxious. However, the most impactful part of his sessions was their discussions, breaking down problems and solutions together.
“Mostly, it was both of us talking and breaking down problems and solutions and working on them.”
Ajith expressed his gratitude for Anunka’s consistency and constructive advice.
“I thank her because she was more consistent than I was. I thank her for encouraging me to attend counselling and for listening to me. Her advice was constructive rather than just giving me quotes or general encouragement.”
Ajith rates himself 3.5 out of 5 in terms of feeling better and sees improvement as being better than the previous week or day.
Ajith’s story is a testament to the positive impact of seeking help and working on oneself with the support of a dedicated counsellor. At YourDOST, we believe that Ajith is well on his way to achieving his goals and wish him all the best in his future endeavours.
Ajith’s Warrior Tips:
1.“Treat yourself with the same kindness you treat others with.”
2.“Be your own best friend and maintain a kind inner monologue.”
3.“Remind yourself that you handled your situation as well as you could, and you will get through this.”
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.
