Victory Over Overthinking, Shreya’s Incredible Achievement

Shreya (Name Changed), 24, is a BBA graduate of Ahmedabad University. She first reached out to YourDOST in the summer of 2018. 

“It had been a very rough year for me specifically because of certain problems within my family as well as with my partner at the time. This in turn spilled over into my academic life.”

Shreya had just finished her Bachelor’s and was about to go for her higher studies when she started struggling with her mental health. 

“My family was not okay with me dating someone which led to a lot of confrontations. Their demeanor towards me changed completely, it was as if I had committed a crime.”

Things were especially difficult with her mother. Add to this the fact that her relationship was not a bed of roses and eventually broke up. All of these factors combined pushed her into a dark place. She was also unsure where she was headed when it came to her career which too caused her a lot of anxiety. 

I didn’t really have much help when it came to figuring my life out. I felt so alone at the time. I was unsure if I would ever reach an independent place in life.

Her relationships also suffered drastically because of this and she felt quite disappointed in herself.

“My self esteem was bruised at a lot of places because of my relationships. But I knew I had to power through this.”

This is when she reached out to YourDOST’s Sudha Ananth. She describes her sessions with Sudha as pleasant.

“She was very empathetic and heard me out. She had a very motherly approach towards things which I really liked and I think I always needed.”

She even recalls some of her recent interactions with Sudha where they, together, realised that Shreya had perfectionistic tendencies which was the root cause of her suffering.

After our sessions, I could see how I was pretty much causing all the problems in my head by overthinking. In fact, today’s session was nothing short of a victory for her because there were things that I was finally starting to point out and accept and just making note of in my own life.

Sudha also helped her with a bunch of techniques which included immediate anxiety calming techniques like deep breathing as well as maintaining a gratitude journal.

“Journaling has helped me a lot. Whenever things get too overwhelming, I write.”

Thanks to therapy, Shreya feels that she now has a heightened sense of self awareness. 

“I wouldn’t say I was unaware before but the level and depth has definitely increased. I am now noticing certain thought patterns that I wouldn’t have if it weren’t for therapy.”

Sudha is helping her navigate her life better, deal with certain circumstances and approach her relationships in a healthier way.

“Regarding my anxiety, I have good days and bad. But we’re working through it.”

Shreya’s word of advice is simple yet profound. 

“People have their own ways of figuring life out and counseling is one way of going about it. It does take a lot of your pain away, all of which in most cases is self inflicted. If you are in a dark palace, know that it is not the end of the road. Things will always get better.”

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.

Shreya’s Warrior Tips:
1. Being a perfectionist isn’t always a good thing
2. Writing is an excellent way to vent one’s feelings
3. Counseling can help take a lot of your pain away