"The Ringing That Never Stopped": A Mental Health Case Story
She was just 27, unmarried, and working steadily in a respected communication role at a
private firm in a busy Indian city. Let’s call her Riya — a young woman like many others,
quietly balancing the demands of a full-time job, social expectations, and a personal life
filled with responsibilities far beyond her age.
Riya lost her father at 22. In a single moment, the foundation of her life shifted. As the only
child of a mother battling a neurological condition, Riya stepped into a caretaker's role
almost overnight. The fun and freedom most women her age enjoyed were replaced with
doctor appointments, medicine schedules, and emotional labor. But Riya didn’t complain.
She adjusted. She adapted. She built a routine — a 9-to-5 job, weekend chores, and late-
night reflections.
Until the calls began.
It started one morning with a number she didn’t recognize. Then another. And another. Each
caller had the same question: "When are you going to repay the loan?" Confused and
terrified, Riya discovered that her boss had taken out a personal loan — and without her
consent, had listed her as a reference. Her name was on the paperwork. The harassment
from loan agents was endless, random, and aggressive.
With every new call, Riya’s heart pounded louder. The anxiety crept in silently — at first just
a sense of unease, but soon turning into full-blown palpitations, sleepless nights, and a
constant fear that someone was watching or judging her. Even a phone ring could trigger
panic.
In meetings at work, her once-confident voice began to falter. She feared she'd be
humiliated if she said something wrong. Her social anxiety grew. She avoided colleagues,
missed calls, and lost sleep. She worried not only about the calls — but also about her
mother’s fragile health, her job security, and a future that suddenly seemed blurry.
When she finally walked into the mental health clinic, she was visibly exhausted. Her eyes
were tired, her posture guarded, her voice hesitant — but she was still holding it all together.
A Window into Her Mind
The clinical team began assessing Riya. She was oriented to time, place, and person. Her
speech was relevant and coherent, though occasionally pressured due to the underlying
anxiety. Her mood was clearly anxious, and her thoughts showed a flight of ideas — jumping
rapidly from work stress, to financial fears, to her mother’s declining health.
