Radhika* like many teenagers, was outgoing and jolly who loved to roam around with her friends. However, her friendship with her best friends started to fall off. In the meantime, nationwide lockdown due to COVID-19 worsened her condition as she did not have anything to divert her mind. She became anti-social and dropped her self-esteem.
“She had lost appetite and was mentally disturbed when she came to me. She was crying and blaming her limping problem. But, she was aware about her situation,” says Mr. Karma Gyltsen, Counselor, SOS Children’s Village Pokhara. After assessing her case, she received MHPSS support. She was encouraged to change her daily routine and involved in different activities. Her family members were also suggested to engage her.
“After expressing what I was going through, I was relieved. I followed his adviced. I also realized that I have a family who loves me. This helped to gain self-confidence. I started to make new friends, participated in my home activities and programmes of the Village,” shares Radhika.
In the meantime, she also made a telephone call to her best friends and reconciled with them. She suggests the young people like her to express their problem with the person of trust.