Dharna’s Big Win Against the Feeling of Helplessness

“I don’t want to be at the mercy of my emotions. I want to use them, to enjoy them, and to dominate them.” – Oscar Wilde.

How does it feel in your stomach after having a big meal? Pretty heavy, right? So, what will you do then? Probably take a nap or stroll down the road, and voila! You feel better after that! But what if I tell you, the cause and the pain are not identified at all? You will get furious and irritated, right? A similar feeling of helplessness was felt by Dharna Mudgal, an M.Des. student from the prestigious NID Gandhinagar.

“I come from a patriarchal and conservative family and was an okayish student in school. Nothing ever bothered me until I started my masters’ study.”

Dharna started to feel blue after graduation, leading her to take a break before pursuing a master’s degree. The feeling of helplessness made Dharna consider taking therapy, but she was hesitant to go for it like most of us. Dharna was getting restless and anxious with each passing day, she became highly dependent on her then significant other and eventually lost contact with her friends and family.

“If you don’t know the cause of your action, you will also not be aware of the impact it creates on others.”

As Dharna felt this one fine day, she made up her mind to not surrender to her vivid emotions and decided to seek help. This was the moment Dharna thought it might not be as effective to talk about the issue to a friend instead of reaching out to a professional. Dharna got informed about YourDOST through her institute resources and decided to seek guidance from a trained ‘DOST’ rather than bottling up emotions.

“I was so sure she would give me medications and frankly, I was not ready for it. But I knew I needed that additional support. So I decided to give it a try.”

It is only human to have an expectation set for anything. Lucky for Dharna, she found her solace in Ankita Chavda, an in-house expert counsellor at YourDOST. In the first few sessions itself, Ankita gave Dharna a ‘reality check,’ and so Dharna thought to herself, I should have started counselling earlier! 

“I just wanted to break that cycle of changing behavioural patterns. I wanted to renew myself.”

After her first session, Dharna was still unable to figure out what was bothering her. Still, she was adamant about working on herself until she achieved what she deserves and desires! With the solution-focused approach of Ankita, Dharna slowly began to realize the root cause of her actions and made her eagerly look forward to the counselling day! This itself is a win and an inspiration for others who hesitate to seek help.

Ankita helped Dharna elevate her mood by giving her ‘positive behavioural therapy’, where Dharna would jot down her thoughts and emotions regularly and later logically break it down to see whether the thought is worth paying attention to or not. 

Dharna complained about having nightmares and breaking down without reason, but she learned how to control those emotions and lead a happy life thanks to the counseling and meditation practices. Today, Dharna feels grateful to have a healthy mind and a healthy body.

“Ankita was extremely understanding and I do not know how, but she always had a plan to help me out.”

Dharna was confused and chaotic at the beginning of the counselling session, but due to Ankita’s determination and empathy, Dharna learned how to take one day at a time. Dharna appreciates Ankita for providing great insights to her and being on the same page as hers throughout her sessions. 

“You might feel like you have everything figured out, but you might be wrong there and slowly it will creep up on you and hold you hostage.”

It is challenging to seek help when you do not know what is hurting you, but trust us, only YOU can help yourself be the BEST version of yourself. Of course, with a backbone called counselling and therapy! Dharna had won her battle against her mind when she decided to seek help from a professional, and now she urges everyone to never suffer in silence and always reach out.

Dharna’s Warrior Tips:
1. Issues will not ask your permission to enter your mind; they just will! Elders will probably hesitate to seek counselling, but everyone should opt for it and give it a try.
2. Counselling is not just about getting solutions. It is all about getting a better perspective to find a solution to your problems.

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.