Dominic also kept the painful diagnosis from family members.

It was hard to admit that something was wrong

“I realized something was wrong with me when I started to lose control: I went out for a walk, I didn’t even know where I was going, my legs were just worn out and my thoughts were dark.

The calls until the fateful January 12 were ones in which I poured out emotions and fright. Even though he felt something was wrong, he couldn’t admit it. And on the night of January 12, when I was so close that we didn’t want to talk anymore, I realized and admitted that I was wrong. At the time, I was picking up the phone, although it seemed much faster to dial 112, but on my emergency calls – Youth Line – in the first place. The conversation with the volunteer reassured me and encouraged me to ask for help, ”says Dominykas about the conversation that saved his life.

After spending more than a month in the hospital and successfully completing a rehabilitation course, Dominyk returned home on February 26, where he continues his successful treatment. He now speaks boldly about his dreams of writing a book one day and, after becoming psychologically strong, beginning to volunteer at the Youth Line and telling his own story that would inspire others to seek help in a timely manner, according to a press release. .

Dominykas’s history with Youth Line began in 2018. He was later diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Although the treatment started, as soon as he felt better, the guy arbitrarily stopped him and that, he said, was a mistake.

In addition to the fact that Dominic no longer took medication and did not go to specialists, he hid the diagnosis from his relatives for a long time. We spoke more with Dominic about fear, the prevailing stigma in society, and the fateful help from the Youth Line.

They spoke more courageously with a volunteer than with a specialist.

“My connection to the Youth Line was established during the illness. That is, long before I was diagnosed. I always felt safer talking to a volunteer than a professional. Maybe it was due to anonymity and mutual trust, says Dominykas. “Every conversation was warm, ended with laughter, fun.”

When the boy’s illness was confirmed, he gave up, felt better, and gave up all help. Now he admits it was his biggest mistake.

Relations with the Youth Line were renewed in 2020. in December, when an episode of depression began after the rise. And even at that time he fell ill with coronavirus, so spending the holidays alone, apart from everyone, felt lonely.

“It just came to our attention then. The interviews with the volunteers usually took place at home, sometimes several times a day. When I didn’t call, I applied online. So the connection was established in 2018, and most It was strong when I needed it most: in December of last year and in January of this year, ”says Dominykas.

He doesn’t hide the fact that seeking professional help for him was terrifying.

“It is scary to admit to yourself that you are sick, and the hardest part is to reveal it in public. I trusted Jaunimo linija in the same way that I did not trust other specialists. When the situation worsened, although it was necessary, they did not want to go back to the beginning. : hospitals, medicines… ”- the boy openly shares.

He hid the diagnosis from his family

At first, Dominic also withheld the diagnosis from family members. Although they knew she was visiting psychologists, taking medication, she was a bit opposed to it because the stereotype that medications made things worse and were addictive was spinning.

“It’s after the first session of medication, I stopped taking them. And that was my mistake. The family still doesn’t know many things. Not wanting to scare the family, I didn’t tell them anything at first,” says the boy.

Recently, Dominic took courage and told me what his diagnosis was, how he ended up in the hospital, and who saved him.

“My parents are divorced, the search for guilt began. But right away I said that it can happen to anyone, this disease does not choose either age or gender. Without telling my family members, I probably wanted to avoid these fights and seeking blame, ”explains Dominykas.

The first week he arrived at the hospital he did not say anything to his loved ones, pretending to be very busy, working hard, tired of going to bed. Only his cousin knew the whole situation from the beginning.

“When I first said that I was in the hospital and that I was sick, I started with my own accusation: ‘If you need him here, it will only get worse in the hospital.’ Well, all those stereotypes have come up that psychiatric hospitals are the worst place to go there, just to get medicine. At the time when I needed help the most, I blamed and raised the consciousness that I was guilty of causing stress. I’m glad I didn’t immediately bring up the details of how I ended up in the hospital, ”Dominykas openly shares.

After the conversation with the Youth Line – relay

The boy knew that the Youth Line gets a lot of calls and realized that he couldn’t call every time he wanted to talk. He only called when they felt worse when the anxiety attacks started.

“It just came to our knowledge then. Every time you talk to a different person, that voice and that one speaks for itself are comforting, especially if we still find common ground. Although the call is anonymous, that hour seems so special. My last Conversation on January 12 lasted more than an hour and I am glad that the volunteer spoke to me for longer. Because it was really very difficult, “admits Dominykas.

He recalled a case. On the internet, the guy did a live broadcast showing signs that he needed help, and the people around him encouraged him to do TAI and finally did.

“Because of those episodes, because of the attitude of the public and it is scary to ask for help. All psychological problems, suicide, are still strongly condemned by society, so even anonymously it is scary to seek help. At least they told me family that psychological problems were not a disease, also admit that you are having a hard time and that no one is teaching you that.

Many say that you have to continue all the time, that everything has to always be fine. But there are also black episodes in life: whether it is psychologically or financially and people cannot live with them, they cannot say to themselves: “I feel bad now and I have to do something to change that. They live downstream, and I believe that the most important thing is to resist that current and say: “No, I’m sick and I have to ask for help,” Dominyk encourages.

Although it is difficult for a person to admit that they need help, it is very important to call because the volunteers who work are always pointing in the right direction.

“If you are lost on the road of life, conversations can shine.” All Jaunimo linija volunteers work dedicated to the mission of helping twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, “Dominykas was convinced.

Having become so familiar with the Youth Line and its mission, he would like to be on the other end of the phone.

“It just came to our attention then. Of course, it takes me some time to strengthen myself psychologically. But I talked to the doctors at the hospital, they asked me about the dreams, it was mine: writing a book, sharing my story in the media and becoming a Youth Line volunteer, it would be like a kind of thanks, feedback, ”The guy did not hide .

Jaunimo linija receives an average of 100 calls a day

Jaunimo linija is one of the first non-governmental organizations in Lithuania to provide free 24-hour emotional assistance. On average, Jaunimo linija receives around 100 calls a day. It currently has more than 300 service volunteers in Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipeda and Skuodas.

The Youth Line receives calls approximately 100 times a day, but unfortunately volunteers cannot answer all calls, only 50-60%. In fact, the need is much greater.

Stories like Dominic are not one. According to Rita Stanelytė, communication manager of Jaunimo linija, very often there are calls when people talk about relationships, problems related to them, the intention to commit suicide or life with a mental illness, the search for the meaning of life.

At the beginning of the declaration, Jaunimo linija invites the nomination of 1.2 percent. GPM. Proceeds will be used to train new volunteers so that every caller has the opportunity to be heard and understood in the most difficult time.