A reader, a sports-lover and a total extrovert! This is the story of 19-year-old Ayush Shandilya, who crossed oceans to be the strong person that he is today. “I love to talk with my friends and learn their experiences”, says Ayush who’s currently residing in Bhubaneshwar.
“I was in a relationship for the past two years and suffered from a breakup which was not foreseen. There were many insecurities and differences of opinions between me and my partner.”
Ayush, being the happy-go-lucky young lad that he is, was not ready to deal with a breakup. After months of jealousy and insecurities, when he started to notice behavioural changes in his then-partner made him wonder, “Am I good enough for her?”. Ayush was often compared with other men by his ex-girlfriend and this made him feel worthless in his own eyes.
Ayush’s confidence started hitting rock bottom. He started developing self-esteem issues, which were not easy to tackle.
“I was preparing for the CLAT exam when this happened. I was shattered, my confidence was not as before. I couldn’t do well in the exam. I wanted to talk with someone.”
In India, it’s often frowned upon to talk about such issues with one’s own parents, and so, even Ayush couldn’t talk about his relationship issues with his parents. He knew only a third-person’s perspective can help him overcome these issues.
Ayush started to think very low of himself, he started looking down upon him and his achievements. He started becoming more conscious and tried to get his lost confidence back by focusing on whether he looked good enough or not.
Ayush often found himself losing his temper over random things. His lack of confidence also made him feel scared to appear for exams and during one such incident like this, he decided that it’s about time he addresses his issues.
“My college is partnered with YourDOST. So, with their contacts, I got connected with a counselor via audio calls.”
Ayush saw the opportunity to speak with a counselor and grabbed it. He got connected with a counselor via audio calls and soon moved to video calls. Ayush’s main goal was to speak with someone without being judged and get solutions to deal with issues. Needless to say, he was overjoyed to see many qualified counselors on the YourDOST platform and began his journey towards being his best self!
“My counselor was very patient. For the first thirty minutes, she didn’t interrupt me at all. She listened to me carefully.”
Ayush started his sessions with an open mind and so, he started pouring his heart out in front of the counselor. He was advised to write a letter to his past self by his counselor. He was also suggested to jot down various emotions he’d feel during the day and later introspect them.
After following these exercises, Ayush understood what he actually want out of a relationship and how he can express himself better. Counseling made Ayush realise the importance of sharing feelings.
“If I don’t share what’s going on with me with anyone, I will lose control over my mind and body. We’re social animals, and counseling made me truly understand that.”
Though Ayush feels he has a long way too, he can definitely see increased confidence and a newfound love for himself! Counseling sessions set a foundation for a revamped Ayush. He started gaining a different perspective about things and regained the connection with himself.
“My interaction with people increased drastically. I feel very light now, and for this, I thank my counselor wholeheartedly. She was truly brilliant!”
In a fun rapid-fire round with YourDOST, Ayush said his counseling journey was ‘outstanding’! He rated his improvement through therapy as a solid 4 out of 5, and even advocated mental health to all the people around him!
Ayush’s Warrior Tips:
1. Sometimes, people need to put their egos aside and approach a counselor. Mental health is very important and it’s better to go and talk to the people whom you trust.
2. If you don’t solve issues within you, then you will damage the relations that are good around you. If you share, you’re already taking a step toward your betterment.
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.