Trigger warning: Mention of suicide and physical abuse
“It took me quite a long time to develop a voice, and now that I have it, I am not going to be silent.” ― Madeleine Albright.
Anupama Seth, a 23-year-old student, is on a journey to navigate her inner voice. She is pursuing her MBA from Birla Global University, Bhuvaneswar. Apart from administration, Anupama also loves modelling, dancing, and acting. She has also won the crown of a beauty pageant that she participated in during college.
Anupama hails from Sambalpur, Odissa, and grew up in a family of four, including her parents and younger sister. Her father works as a constable in the police department, and her mom is the headmistress in a government school.
“Having both parents working a time-consuming job, I used to miss them a lot as a kid and never felt loved. I started looking for love and affection outside the family.”
She elucidates that her desperate need for affection led her to a traumatic experience. Anupama explains that when she shifted to Bhuvaneshwar for her master’s, she started dating someone. After a few months into the relationship, he cheated on her with someone else.
Anupama recollects feeling heartbroken, but she still forgave him and tried to move on.
“He used to be extremely manipulative. Even after the incident, he continued seeing the other person and asked me to tell her we had broken up. That’s when I decided to break up.”
Anupama elaborates that before she could, they had a minor car accident, which incurred a heavy cost. She paid the rental service by borrowing from everyone she knew, hoping he would repay. When he couldn’t, she took money from her parents, asked for semester fees, and repaid her friends.
She explained that even with the remaining 1.5 lakhs, her ex-partner convinced her to give it to him, saying the money would be safer with him than with her. As the due date for fee payment was near, Anupama got anxious because he hadn’t returned the money.
“All my friends went home for the new year, and I had no faculty to speak to. Since I had no one to communicate with, I got overwhelmed and tried to end my life by suicide, but thankfully, I was helped at the right time.”
Due to all these issues, Anupama was suspended from college. After she returned, she decided to seek help through the YourDOST platform through her college’s subscription.
“Even after everything that happened, I kept changing my mind whenever my ex-boyfriend spoke to me, so I knew I needed external help.”
Anupama connected with Ms Sohini Palit on the platform, and she adds that the counselor was an excellent listener and patient throughout the session. Anupama felt heard and understood by the counselor.
As she opened up about her relationship issues, Ms. Sohini started giving her practical guidance for her future steps. Anupama explains that even while in therapy, she continued to date the same person.
After a while, she started to endure physical abuse as he started slapping her whenever he got upset with her.
“His violent behaviour intensified, and one day, my nose started bleeding, and I had to go to the hospital and treat the injuries.”
Being vulnerable, the only rope she had to hold onto life was therapy. The counselor made Anupama write down everything that stressed her and made her burn the paper to give her a cathartic effect. It gave her a sense of relief and hope.
Anupama learned to make a table of important and unimportant tasks to prioritise the necessary things. She was also taught to use a self-made poster to bring her back to reality, and the counselor made her take 21-day challenges to cultivate healthy habits.
Following these techniques and continuing therapy for six months, Anupama elucidates seeing a complete change in her mentally and physically. Her negative thoughts and anxieties have reduced significantly.
“After therapy, I have started going to the gym to be healthy and physically fit. I even started doing skincare; I dress up better and have made a big circle of friends who make me happy.”
Anupama delightfully expresses her gratitude to Ms. Sohini and the other experts she had contacted during emergencies. She explained that Ms. Sohini deserves a 50-star rating rather than a 5-star rating for her help.
“My counselor has even taken my sessions for at 1 a.m. Even my communication skills have improved because of her. She is why I have been born again, and I would salute her if possible.”
As she rates herself 4 out of 5, she elucidates that she can follow her inner voice and prioritise her mental health. We are proud of Anupama’s progress and wish her all the best in the future.
Anupama’s Warrior Tips:
1.“Instead of talking to a friend, approach a therapist for unbiased guidance.”
2.“Therapy is not just for relationships or financial issues; it can be helpful even for trivial matters in your routine.”
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.
