Mental health: Madiha's story
Still a child herself, Madiha* suffered years of abuse from her stepfather after her mother died when she was just 10 years old. She was forced to live on the streets where she had to beg to survive. She experienced further abuse and turned to drugs to cope. Her experiences significantly affected her mental wellbeing.
As Madiha became increasingly vulnerable and on the brink of falling into a spiral of addiction and abuse, the British Asian Trust’s Mental Health programme provided Madiha with counselling and therapy, which helped her to heal and recover.
She initially struggled with trust issues, was quick to anger and found it difficult to express her emotions. With the help of her counsellor, she gradually started to heal.
Through the counselling sessions, Madiha built a rapport with her counsellors and was able to process the trauma she had experienced and understand how it affected her mental health.
She learned to reflect on her thoughts and feelings and was able to find her voice and her creativity.
Now thriving, Madiha dreams of becoming a counsellor.
*Name changed to protect identity
*Photo not of Madiha