Note: This is an editorial and all views expressed in this article are that of the author.
A very shady narrative runs in our institute regarding the Counselling Center. I remember hearing about the ‘demonic doctors’ and the ‘evil administration heads’ who considered depression a taboo and “going-back-home-for-a-year” the only remedy for it right from my freshman days. Inadvertently, I joined in and helped propagate this idea in the same manner that I received it — through chats with friends between classes, while enjoying the ‘delicious’ meals in the mess and during the late-night gossip sessions/2.2 rides.
This didn’t perturb me until last December, when it started affecting me. I began to feel depressed and this worsened as 2020 began. Feeling low throughout the day, constant negative thoughts, an unending desire to end life, crying incessantly when alone and covering it all up under a veil of happiness whenever an intruder barged in, low efficiency and several other symptoms that were invisible to everyone surrounding me was what I was experiencing. I was aware of the gloomy situation I was dwelling in, but due to the nature of my problem, was scared of seeking help from my friends and family. The only option left was the supposedly spooky Counselling Center.
I still had the haunting portrayal of the CC in my head but I needed help so badly that I decided to visit it. And so my therapy started.
I was extremely stubborn in the beginning. I refused to divulge the details of my issues and demanded anti-depressants, but the counsellor never forced me. It took me two long sessions with a very friendly, cheerful and understanding counsellor to open up and two more to realise the importance of my life and the immense power and beauty that I possessed.
Those four sessions drastically changed my perception of the center. I still have my problems but am happy with them and regret not visiting the CC earlier. I couldn’t because I was stuck in that ugly state with the vicious notion in my head. Now that I look back, there are many such individuals like me in our campus, who need help, counselling and medication, but are afraid to ask for it, all because the narrative of the tangible harms that the CC can cause seems more terrifying than the depression itself. They are slowly being eaten up and it is no wonder that several cases of suicide/ attempted suicide surface every year. My experience is testimony to the fact that this isn’t necessarily true.
During the course of these interactions with my counsellor, I also found out how helpless they really were. Depression affects one mentally and has the power to damage one’s reasonability to such a great extent that they can potentially harm themselves physically. In such cases, when the patients are at risk of losing their ability to judge the importance of taking medicines, it becomes very important to make sure that they have their parents (or well wishers) by their side 24x7 to take care of them. Everything comes after your health, even your academics.
Based on my personal experience, our Counselling Centre helped with its set of well-educated, caring and understanding counsellors who truly wanted to help me deal with my problems and tried hard to make me feel more than just comfortable in my skin. The staff members are very friendly as well and successfully create a conducive environment that feels as safe as home. There is thus an urgent need to dispel this prevalent mischaracterized notion about the Counselling Centre. We have to talk about the other side of the coin and break the perpetuation of this idea so that our friends who are suffering from depression can come forward and seek help. Hopefully, they’ll realise the importance of their life and the immense power and beauty they possess!
Note: If you experience any of these symptoms and are away from campus, please use YourDost, an online counselling service that has been made free for IIT KGP students. Log in using your ‘iitkgp.ac.in’ email-id to chat with experienced counsellors. Stay happy!