“It’s not that we use technology; we live technology”- Godfrey Reggio.
This quote best captures our warrior’s interests. Paul is a 26-year-old IIM Indore graduate who has been obsessed with technology since his school days.
He describes his childhood as one of constant change. By the time he finished schooling, he had changed about 14 schools. While this allowed him to adapt to changes more efficiently, it also made it very difficult to form social connections.
One hobby that brought him some solace during his school days was painting. He also completed a formal education in art during his school years. Another interest he acquired during his late school years was technology, which has followed him still to this day.
He moved to Indore after class 12th and spent about five years there, moving out only for his job. He moved to Mumbai for his first job right after the second wave of Covid.
Adjusting to a new city and new environment was challenging. He describes the environment in Mumbai as alien.
“I had a lot of imposter syndrome going on at that time. I couldn’t just imagine myself there.”
However, he was still hesitant about seeking help through counselling because. He had tried counseling through college, and it had not been a pleasant experience.
He remembers one occasion when he was experiencing a panic attack, and the hospital staff sent him to a psychologist instead of a psychiatrist for medication. The psychologist did not handle this situation well, and this left a deep mark on the perception Paul had about therapy.
There was also a general perception around his college that “if someone goes to therapy without issues, they will come back with issues,” and this affected Paul’s experience for a while.
His first experience with YourDOST was through the chat feature, but he did not find that feature useful. After his graduation, since his college alumni still had access to YourDOST’s counseling services, he started using the video call feature to navigate a difficult period.
The first main change he observed was that he started becoming more aware of his feelings and identifying the cause. He mentions that before, he did not have an idea of how to identify and what to identify what he was feeling, but sessions with his counselor changed that.
His counselor introduced him to techniques such as journaling and a “feelings wheel,” which helped Paul understand and pinpoint what he felt whenever negative or positive emotions popped up.
Day after day and session after session, Paul started to feel a sense of improvement. He mentions that, along with learning different things through therapy, therapy also helped him unlearn certain things from his past.
“With practice, we can develop social skills, which might affect how we interact with people and how we feel amongst people.”
To Paul, “improvement” means being better than yesterday, and he tries to embody that daily. Regarding feeling better, he rates himself a 4 out of 5.
We at YourDOST are proud to have been a part of Paul’s journey and cannot wait to see the innovations he brings to the world through his work.
Paul’s Warrior Tips:
1.“Good Mental Health is as Important as Good Physical Health. We need to nurture both every single day.”
2.“Therapy isn’t just about learning new things and unlearning stuff from your past.”
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.
