Building Back Courage through Counselling: Story on Nirmalya Basu

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” ― Winston S. Churchill

The nervousness attached to ‘first day at college’ is a well-known fact. Meeting new people, adjusting to the new system, and building our careers can be exciting and scary at the same time. But what’s even worse is the nervousness that dates back to when we started hunting for a college trying to get a seat.

20-year-old Nirmalya Basu was going through similar emotions, and adding to that; he was constantly under pressure from his parents to get into a top college. The reason why when Nirmalya did not score a good rank in his entrance exams, he went around blaming himself.  

However, his rank landed him up to a B.tech in Petroleum Engineering in IIT ISM Dhanbad. Nirmalya did not know much about the college and hence had to rely on reading reviews. Although the college had positive reviews, too, negative reviews caught his attention more. There were also rumors of ragging that took place on the campus. All of this caught Nirmalya off guard. He started to question his decision to enroll and became indecisive on whether he should continue or not.  

Nirmalya went through pangs of anxiety that started taking a toll on his social life too. Despite being a person who loves to interact with new people, Nirmalya’s fear came between him and his conversations with new people. He started to avoid interaction with his classmates and seniors, and everyone, even during college events. His fear did not let him open up to people and share all that he felt.

This went on for some time until he decided to get help from a professional counselor. Following this, he reached out to YourDOST.

He initially started with a chat session where he felt comfortable talking about his issues. More because he was still afraid to interact and chats eliminated the need to see the counselor face to face. After a few days of chatting, Nirmalya got a little comfortable, so he switched to video call sessions with the counselor. Through video call sessions, the counselor helped Nirmalya share his feelings, question his thoughts and speculate his behavior to understand himself better. 

“Questioning myself and staying, in reality, helped me see the person I am.”

The counselor helped Nirmalya stay in touch with his reality, which further helped him understand the importance of communication and its impact on his daily life. He started appreciating himself more and was able to come out of his secure shell. To help him in the process, the counselor had asked Nirmalya to maintain a journal where he was asked to write to converse with himself through a journal. Although Nirmalya could not journal every day, he found it very helpful throughout situations.

On learning more about himself, he also learned to appreciate his surroundings and himself more. He further began to interact with other classmates and his seniors that helped him establish good bonds with them. Through therapy, he felt better and more comfortable going to college. Today, he is grateful to his counselor for bringing back his courage and supporting him at his lowest point. 

When asked about his thoughts on therapy, Nirmalya does not want anyone to be afraid of seeking help. He says, “Don’t be scared to ask for help from a counselor. It is beneficial for you.”

To sum it up, he relates seeking help from a counselor as asking help from parents or teachers – something we shouldn’t refrain from. 

And while he builds back his courage through counseling, we’re proud of Nirmalya’s take on seeking help and the journey attached to it.

Nirmalya’s Warrior Tips:
1. Counseling is effective in channelizing our emotions which is very important in our life.

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.