Is a doctor even a doctor if he falls ill?
Of course. So then, why can’t counsellors fall prey to mental health disorders?
Aarushi, a 25-year old counsellor was trapped by the shackles of major depression, episodes of derealization and self harm. Soon she went from treating her patients to treating herself and it was one hell of a rollercoaster ride for her.
The young Indian recalls the first time she realized something was off was last year when a series of red flags appeared right before her eyes. There was major manipulation and gas lighting that pushed her off the edge, leading to her not sleeping or eating food. This, full of life individual went from being the life of the part to feeling lifeless. The young Indian recalls her passion and love for teaching that suddenly started feeling tough, almost like a burden. Sitting alone at coffee houses and staring at customers go by became almost like a normal ordeal for the young Indian.
Aarushi’s lowest point as she recalls was, first what seemed to be a normal day in her life. It all started when she took the metro to go to college, something, she did everyday. On arrival at her stop, when the young Indian attempted to get off, she couldn’t. The young Indian was trapped in a spiral of beliefs that nothing was real and she had to touch everything to prove its existence. This took her to a far off station where the train met with a dead end and she was left with no option but to get off. Aarushi recalls crossing the road blinded when a man stopped her and asked her what was wrong. Only then she realized where she was and what had just happened. The 25-year old then reached out to a friend that spoke to one of the locals and had them guide Aarushi back to the metro station.
This episode was the tipping point for the young Indian and red cards life flashed at her became more visible day by day. She then went on to resign from her job and take up the job of taking care of herself and prioritizing her mental health.
Aarushi gave herself the privileged option of being able to choose the conversations she wanted to be a part of and the people she wanted to engage with. If she didn’t feel comfortable or intuited trigger, she immediately removed herself from the situation. From opening up to friends to using her emotions first aid kit to expressing her self through writing, Aarushi left no leaf unturned in weaving her life mental heath back together.
The inspiring young Indian stands a strong symbol of hope and courage. Nothing comes easy and this is how Aarushi emerged victorious in her mental health battle.
