When individuals go through anxiety and depression, it’s important to ask themselves ‘is this anxiety or depression helping me or hindering me?’ Anxiety and depression are conditions that limit those to seek and achieve goals as it affects a person’s daily life.
The way a person perceives and thinks about surrounding issues can be from an anxious position. Anxiety at severe levels can lead a person to substance use and suicide ideation.
Researchers have stated that the onset of anxiety is when an individual feels threatened or frightened by a stimulus or when they find themselves in a conflicting or confronting situation. The individual will feel a physiological response first such as increased heart rate, loss of appetite, increased sweat secretion, increased breathing and shivering in hands and legs.
Depression on the other hand is characterised by mood disturbances that lead to sadness and a lack or loss of once pleasurable activities. This can lead to extreme weight loss or gain, lack of sleep and thought disturbance. An individual can have an inability to think and focus clearly which is coupled with persistent feelings of worthlessness and guilt.
Some studies have identified Islamic interventions that are effective. This includes reading the Holy Quran loudly, spiritual education and meditation in relieving mental illnesses. Listening to the Holy Qur’an affects brain activities and hence reduces tension and enhances relaxation.
Remembrance of Allah (God) is also suggested and participants from research studies say that remembering Allah made them feel a sense of peace. There is a Qur’anic injunction where Allah states ‘In the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest.’ (13:28).
Having trust in Allah that He will compensate with something better is another effective element in addressing mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression. It is simply the fact of knowing that Allah tests individuals with all things and one of those things is the psychological imbalance which Allah can also free people from psychological problems.
‘Verily, you will never leave anything for the sake of Allah Almighty but that Allah will replace it with something better for you.’ (Hadith: Musnad Ahmad 23074)
As mentioned earlier, people suffering with anxiety and depression can sometimes feel a sense of worthlessness and guilt. Individuals will talk down on themselves with all sorts of negative connotations. Sometimes it can be due to an event inflicted upon them or perhaps something they may have engaged in themselves.
However, bashing oneself with negative statements is a form of oppression to the self. Prophet Muhammad (s) states what Allah says: ‘My servants, I have made oppression unlawful for Me and unlawful for you. All sons of Adam commit sins day and night, and once they ask My forgiveness, I never hesitate to forgive them.’ (Hadith: An-Nawwawi, 24). The hadith indicates that Allah grants His servants a chance to seek forgiveness directly. This cultivates purity and calmness.
Allah additionally says that He is the Oft forgiving most Merciful. This offers a positive emotional state of hopefulness.
Through all of this, it’s about stepping into confidence and engaging in these beautiful Islamic acts. One cannot feel the effects of peace if they do not at least try to engage and take that step towards an action such as reading the Qur’an.
Depression can make one not feel motivated however, knowing that motivation only comes from taking that step into engaging in an action is the way to bring motivation on. Motivation won’t come out of nowhere, a step has to be taken in order to feel motivated.
Therefore, to reduce one’s depression and anxiety, an individual needs to engage in an action so that the anxiety and depressive feelings can decrease.
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