Friend or Foe? A. Bansal’s Life Changing Decision through Counseling

A.Bansal, a 22 year old IITian led a happy, positive life studying and pursuing his dreams. While doing an internship, Bansal felt attracted to a peer of his. 

“During my internship, I met a girl and we became friends. As days passed, I felt attracted to her but did not know how to tell her about it.”

Bansal was helping her land a new job and was caring for her needs, like a friend but deep down, he was attracted to her, irrespective of her feelings towards him. When Bansal got to know that she has been struggling with her own family members 

But she was going through a lot of her own struggles with her family and was suffering from depression. 

“My feelings for her were getting stronger and when I told her I liked her, she told me she was not ready for a relationship. I tried pushing my feelings aside and continued to stay friends with her but after a while, it took a toll on my mental health.”

When Bansal took the step to move on from her, she began blackmailing him. She forced him to stay with her and Bansal felt trapped in this situation. Bansal could not understand the mix signals coming her way and also couldn’t comprehend the new emotions inside his head.

“She began calling me selfish, even though I cared for her well-being. She wanted me to help with her job but she wasn’t helping me at all, and I felt alienated. She demanded that I give her all my time and attention, even though we decided to stay friends”

This situation went on for over a month and Bansal felt trapped in the friendship. In the process, he started doubting himself and this was the main reason Bansal decided to seek help. 

“I began doubting myself and my decision-making skills, I had never felt this way before. I finally realised how unhealthy this had been on my mental health.”

Bansal used therapy to talk about his feelings out and get a new professional perspective of his situation. While he had friends who tried to support him through this, Bansal knew that he needed professional advice in this matter. He reached out to YourDOST and got connected with an Expert Ms. Sheetal.

“Sheetal spoke to me about having open communication with my friend and write down my feelings and burn it down as a form of catharsis. She also helped me learn some deep-breathing techniques when I felt anxious while thinking about my friend. These really helped me calm down.”

Bansal had always been a happy and outgoing person, but for this particular incident that triggered  his mental health. Thankfully, Bansal spotted the problem and was determined to get back on track. 

“My level of concentration has increased and I can focus on the task at hand. I don’t question my decisions and trust my own intuition.”

This was the first time Bansal took up counseling, it made a huge difference in the quality of his emotional well-being.

Recalling his experience with Sheetal, Bansal mentions, She has been a great listener to me and was very empathetic towards me. I could believe in her judgement, and use the same to solve the issues I had been facing.

It was tough for Bansal to make changes in his thought process, but nevertheless, he did not give up and rose stronger than ever!

Bansal’s Warrior Tips:
1. It is always best to get a different perspective about your problems; don’t be wary about seeking help.
2. You are not alone; people are here to help you through your struggles.

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.