#combatdepression
Self help Islam and Anxiety
We all experience difficulties in our life’s and as Muslims we should know that this is a test from Allah. In fact that this is something Muslims firmly believe in, that going through difficult times is inevitable.
{Do people think they will be left alone and they will not be tried? …} ( Al-`Ankbut 29:3)
And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to As-Sabirin (the patient ones, etc.). Al-Baqra Verse No:155
Even the Prophet went through difficult times. For examples when his son Ibrhim passed away to the next life. The prophet felt sadness, expressed his emotions through tears and grief.
Then he wept more and said, “The eyes are shedding tears and the heart is grieved, and we will not say except what pleases our Lord, O Ibrahim! Indeed we are grieved by your separation.” Bukhari; Book 23, hadith 1228
Allah gives us reward through affliction
It’s important to remember that as Muslims Allah has not left us but rather he wants us to get closer to him however we must also seek professional help where necessary. For example when we re ill we go to see a GP to aid recovery. Just like if you are suffering from a Mental Health condition you should seek help from a Qualified professional Counsellor that is in congruence with your faith.
Allah encourages us to seek help
Anxiety is something that we cannot escape given the adversities that we may experience everyday. Anxiety is a condition that doesn’t show itself out of nowhere. It slowly gets on us without us really knowing.
Depression is a condition that brings us down and makes us feel like life is not worth it anymore. It slowly creeps its way into our system and turns us into a kind of person who isn’t enthusiastic about life anymore.
What makes matters more alarming is that both of these mental conditions are very common in every part of the world and may inflict anyone. Fortunately, they can be overcome by knowing how to cope with anxiety and depression.
I will be discussing some of the ways on how to know if you have anxiety or depression, how anxiety leads to depression in the long run and vice versa, as well as some tips on how to overcome them. Overall we’ll discuss how to cope with anxiety and depression in the comfort of your own home.
What is Anxiety and How it May Lead to Depression and Vice Versa
What exactly is anxiety?
Anxiety is often described as an unpleasant feeling that we all experience such as always being uptight, nervous, tense or irritable. It may affect how we think and behave as excessive worry may prevent us from doing things that we need and want to do. Anxiety causes us to feel worried for a long period of time even if the worry doesn’t have any basis.
But it’s normal to worry or feel anxious about some things in life. In fact, it can often be helpful. For example, worrying about how you’ll pass your exam, driving test, acing that interview, you then prepare yourself by studying and as a result of being motivated by that concern is good. How do you know if it is good or bad anxiety? Well according to research It’s been found that symptoms of anxiety are much more frequent when the condition known as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is present. General worriers tend to spend an average of 56 minutes a day worrying, while people with GAD often spend over 300 minutes a day worrying — over five times as much.
Another thing to know about anxiety is that it goes hand in hand with depression. They are two very different conditions but are often seen in tandem with each other. If you want to know how to cope with anxiety and depression, then you need to understand how one relates to the other.
Sometimes having anxiety may lead to depression because being constantly worried will drag you down, filling you with negative thoughts that eventually lead to depression. Having depression may also lead to anxiety because depression slows productivity which eventually leads to long-term worries and anxiety. Once you know how to cope with anxiety and depression, you can relax without having to worry about one condition breeding the other.
Symptoms of Anxiety
For symptoms, there are four categories of symptoms to know whether you have anxiety or not, namely: physical, thoughts, emotions, and behavior.
- Let’s start with the physical symptoms that you may have. Some symptoms would include tension, muscular pain, dizziness, chest pain, trembling, shaking, and palpitations.
- For thoughts, you would often ask to worry about if something bad happens, you would always look at the worst case scenario, your mind is always on alert, and you often worry all the time.
- For emotional symptoms, you would often feel nervous, panicky, or stressed. You’d also feel very irritable and would have a short temper.
- Lastly, you would have behavioral symptoms. If you feel like wanting not to do things you like, often pace around, get spooked easily, talk too fast, and get angry at people too fast.
Self-Help Tips for Anxiety
Now that we know more about anxiety and its links to depression, let’s go deeper into knowing the tips on how to cope with anxiety and depression. In the next two sections, we’ll be learning effective and proven methods on how to cope with anxiety and depression.
The prevention tips are split into two kinds, the mental tips, which are tips that are focused on trying to change our state of mind and the lifestyle tips which focus on lifestyle changes that may affect our mental state.
Mental Tips
- Understanding more about anxiety
If you want to know how to cope with anxiety and depression, you have to understand them. Let’s start with anxiety.
One thing that we should understand is that anxiety is a daily part of our lives. We experience anxiety every day when we look at our unpaid bills, when we are called to the boss’ office or before we receive our report card. The anxiety that is caused by adverse situations is known as a fight or flight response that we develop in order to help fight away the danger. This is actually an evolutionary response that our ancestors used back in the days of primal survival. However, our minds have already been accustomed or used to the fight or flight response, so even if there is no need to turn on our “survival mode,” the mind still turns it on. It is because of this that we still experience anxiety even if there is no danger but just some small adversity. In a sense, anxiety is our fight or flight response which is kicked into auto-pilot.
- Control Unhelpful Thoughts
What makes anxiety a danger to our mental state is the fact that when we worry about adverse situations that can be rather unrealistic. When this happens, it’s very important to know how to control these unhelpful thoughts. For example, a person with social anxiety who is about going into a room full of people may think that no one will like him or her. This is an example of a ‘worry’ feeling that really has no basis. To control unhelpful thoughts, we must first identify it.
Below are the cues to show what an unhealthy thought is:
◻ Predicting the Future
◻ Assuming What Another Person is Thinking about You
◻ Exaggerating or Blowing Situations Out of Proportion
◻ Pressuring Yourself to Follow a Societal Standard
◻Using the Outcome of One Situation as a Generalization for the Outcome of All Other Situations
◻ Labeling Yourself
When you are thinking thoughts that fall into any of these categories, it will help if you list them down. After you do, ask the following questions:
- Does My Thought Have Any Basis?
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- What Category Does My Unhelpful Thought Fall In?
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- What Would I Tell a Friend If He or She Have This Unhealthy Thoughts?
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- What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Harboring this Thought?
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- Is There Any Way to Perceive the Situation?
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- Improving your problem-solving skills
Beefing up on your problem-solving skills is one very good way to help your anxiety problems. We would generally develop anxiety whenever we have problems piled in our thoughts. When these unresolved problems just pile up and pile up, we would drown in them and not solve any of them. Just think of it like getting a credit card loan– if you don’t pay the principal amount, the interest just piles up until we drown in it. In order to fix this, we have to create a system on how we can fix our unresolved issues one by one until they’re totally wiped out.
Here is a systematic outline on how to approach problems one by one:
- Make a List of Your Problems and List them in Order of Priority
- Identify the Problem (What exactly is the problem?)
- Make a List of Possible Solutions for the Problem
- Choose the Best Solution from the List
- Create the Steps on How to Carry Out the Solution
- Carry Out the Solution and Evaluate Whether it Worked
- Choose a Different Solution if it Didn’t Work
With these steps, you can systematically solve each of your problems one by one.
- Learning how to reduce the amount of time you spend worrying
Lastly, you have to learn how to decrease your worry time. One technique to do this would be to create a “worry time”. Outside of your worry time, probably for just 20 minutes, try to take out all thoughts in your head. When you’re in your worry time, time yourself with a timer so that you can limit it. While you’re in your “worry time,” try to make up as many solutions as possible and list them down. Try to solve them again in the next worry time.
Lifestyle Tips
Those are some mental tips on how to curb your anxiety. However, for you to overcome anxiety and depression fully, there are some lifestyle changes that you need to obey, such as:
- Eat Well
Always eat a balanced meal curbing unhealthy processed foods, too much sweets, and too much carbs.
- Exercise Regularly
Regular exercise helps you emit happy hormones and create a “high” that can curb anxiety.
- Learn to Relax
Pick up some activities that can help you relax like sports, yoga, or meditation.
- Do Something You Like
One of the symptoms of anxiety is that you stop doing things that like to do. Try going back to doing what you like to do so that you can be happy.
- Avoid Alcohol and Drugs
Whatever you do, avoid drugs and alcohol because it won’t make your anxiety go away. It would make you even more destructive.
- Talk to a Loved One
Lastly, talk to a loved one. Opening up to a trusted family member or friend will help you, not only to vent out your worries but also to make you feel that there is someone there for you.
Read our next article on depression
assalamu alaykum, I am suffering from negative thoughts and feelings with regards to my religion, Islam. I keep getting thoughts and feelings which sometimes overwhelm saying I don’t believe and Islam is a lie. However, when my mind is in the right state of mind I reject this notion and is clearly false as there is too much evidence to prove it is true. Then again, after this I feel confused even by the reality of this world and get panickly and have strong thoughts and feelings that I’m going to die on kufr. Also it’s like everything I say, although I feel like I’m being sincere, I’m just lieing, causing me more distress. I ask for your help as the situation has been escalating quickly.
Brother, that is a sign of true Emaan, as mentioned by the prophet salallahu alayhi wasallam. I hope it’s gone now and Allah makes it easy for you. You can search up the Hadith about evil thoughts. You’ll find more than 1 ahaadith mention that what you’re feeling is shaitaan trying to draw you away as hard as he can, because you’re doing the opposite and obeying Allah. So he’s trying harder because your iman is increasing and he doesn’t want that. Barakallahu feekum
Brother I have these deep thoughts where I feel like my deeds aren’t being accepted because my intention is that I want to heaven and not hell but my intention is not really for the sake of Allah
I also have the exact same thoughts, however deep down i know Islam is the truth, because as you said, there is a lot of evidence. I also have a problem with overthinking if anyone could help me on this
My wife suffers from this but the problem is that she is unwilling to admit to this and discuss this properly. For example, before every wedding on the journey down to the venue she would pick a fight with me and then throughout the wedding she wouldn’t talk to anyone and display very clearly that she is upset. It is heartbreaking where people look at me thinking it’s my fault.
How can I get my wife to be genuine and honest and to proactively do something about this? It is having a major impact on our relationship where she is masking this issue by blaming me.
Hi, I am a teenage girl and I think I am suffering anxiety because my heart beats very fast and sometimes I completely zoned out or blank whenever I interact with new people’s as what they gonna ask with me and by their questions and I also am scared of doing things if something gone wrong
Hello
Its completely fine while you’re growing up. Take it easy you will get through it. Pick something, anything u like or u are good at. Or you can hang out with your friends. Talk bout different things in life. That way u will be engaged and do it regularly pick up a hobby or something u enjoy. Give it a try and things will be fine
I suffer from anxiety which leads to fast heartbeats.. weakness and I no hunger
Me too brother, if you have overcome it or have some tips can you share it with me thank you
Hi, know that anxiety never lasts forever. But you need do your part in fighting it, don’t let go of your connection to God no matter what your feeling force yourself to pray if you have too, and trust Allah it won’t overtake you. The feeling can get too much sometimes and I know that it may feel like any moment your going to end up committing the vile thoughts that go through your head, but at the end of the day these are just thoughts you are in control, you can change the way you think, think of all the things Allah has given you focus on the positives in life, be greatful for the blessings that Allah has bestowed upon you even on your darkest days and inshallah he will never abandon you and you will never abandon him. Cry out to him and ask for guidance just as he made a path for prophet Musa, he will pave a path for you too. Have faith it will all work out.
Hi I keep constantly thinking I’m going to pass away. That scares me the most. I think too deep into it. My anxiety’s comes from
The fear of something bad happening to me. I fear what’s going to be like in the next life. When I think like that. I then start thinking A person knows they going to pass away 40 days before hand.
I can totally relate with you, this is me for past few months, hence im awake now too.
As salaam aleykum sister
First think that 40 days have passed and Alhamdullilah you are still alive
I have the same feeling but by constantly reading quran everyday makes me feel good
I wouldn’t say that the anxiety is gone but the episodes are much less
If Allah wills you will be cured and this is the test for which we are here
So be patient and put you wheel of life in the hand of Allah
May Allah give you healthy life
Regards
Your brother
As salaam alyekum
I feel like that too..it started mid November and I just don’t know which way to turn..I’m soo scared and I don’t know how to control myself, I like to understand more about why I feel like this because its not a nice feeling it also sometimes makes me very emotional and its hard to talk to anyone what I’m going though..
I keep thinking about a loved one passing away and it keeps me from sleeping because I have extreme panic over it. I don’t know what to do
Hi Fazina, I go through the same exact thing as you and I usaully would think I’m the one only thinking this way and yes that all scares of when I’m going to pass away and the 40 days thing is what I’ve learned is the last days of the world but I really try not to think of that because it could really effect you in your life.
I think of death and how harsh it would be and Allah’s forgiveness ..ithink of all the dangerous fatal sicknesses I fear tht I don’t end up taking antidepressants going on those medicine is my biggest fear for what ever reason A simple head ache makes me feel it’s something serious and y is it hpning .. I hate medicines I feel the alopathic medicine will give me serious side effects and can be fatal to my organs ..then I think about all people who already go through it and think it’s in Allah’s hands n nothing can be changed ..
I use homeopathic medicine and home remedies like chemomile tea and other herbs to control panic attacks ..
I think of this that Allah will not change the situations of the people who do not change them selves .. so I try to eat healthy and stay active but because of pcos m so worried 😣 I feel my anxiety is because of me being lazy n overthink n indeed a test from alllah may Allah protect us all may Allah cure us all ammen ya rabb ..
I am going through the same situation as you right now, been suffering for months and unable to sleep. Which in turn makes the whole situation worse day by day.
Salam Alaikom Fazina,
It is surreal to read your story sub7an Allah. Im going through the same thing right now! I know what you are going through. It is very difficukt. We have to stay strong. May Allah relieve us from this anxiety.
Sister, please read the hadeeth about the death of a believer. That will give you true joy and will turn the fear of death into yearning. Plus, you can read or watch about jannah and about the day of judgement for a believer. Barakallahu feekum
Don’t stress too much. Allah (swt) is the only one who knows when your time will come. Just follow the principles of Islam and focusing on what you’re focusing on is good, but don’t worry about it.
Salaams Fazina
I came across your post and am going through the exact same thing now
If you get this message can you please tell me how you are doing nw and if there was anything specific that helped you
Shukran
Fiza
Salam Fazina,
I am feeling the same and my anxiety due to this is affecting me very badly. Can you share what helped you because when i go deep in to this thought, anxiety affects my thinking, speech and sometimes blur vision and shivering
Hi Fazina, I go through the same exact thing as you and I usaully would think I’m the one only thinking this way and yes that all scares of when I’m going to pass away and the 40 days thing is what I’ve learned is the last days of the world but I really try not to think of that because it could really effect you in your life.
https://www.themuslimyouthprogramme.com/overcome-depression-anxiety-islam-4-rules-4-stages/ Assalamu alaikum Fazina… read the above article.. definitely you will get help from this InshaAllah.. May Allah ease your suffering.. Aameen
Hello, recently I’ve been going through all this and mostly overthinking situations and keep blaming Islam for it. Astaghfurallah…
I sometimes take actions that the back of my head keeps telling me it’s haram but I know that action have been granted to me for a reason because I’ve benefited A lot from it. It led me to become closer to Allah and read Quran and do zikr, and sometimes I think I overthink too much that the though of leaving this behaviour (leaving my only best friend of opposite sex) gives me anxiety and makes me depressed. We no nothing haram btw, we only have talked online for the past 3 years. Recently I’ve developed this anxiety and I’m trying to overcome it. Definetly will use your methods and hopefully it works. (I’ve been doing breathing exercises and saying zikr before I sleep)
Anxiety and stress and sleepless
Stress and anxiety and sleepless
I am suffering from back pain which is now almost gone but in these difficult times i suffered from anxiety attacks which make me think worse of my self in future because of this pain but i am still fighting with it reading islamic things and listening islamic scholar hopefully it will get over . Keep belief in ALLAH , pray every day and pray for relief . IA it will get better with time
Salam
I have terrible anxiety I wake up worrying go to bed worrying and live the whole day worryibg.
You see i know the truth we may have money then get fired and have debt.
We may have health and then get sick i get that.
Iam worried that I maybe considered as I lacked faith truth is I rely on Allah so much because I know Iam helpless but I cant switch off my anxious thoughts
Aoa I am 22 years old one night I suddenly feel like my hearts beat faster and I can’t breath properly and I feel like its my last night I cannot sleep at that night next day I google the symptoms of death and they are similar with the condition at that night. I consult a therapist he said that its normal in your age and the level of serotonin is low that why you have excessive thoughts of death but now it become serious because when I do something like take shower I feel like its my last shower now my mom goes on a shopping I felt like I will never see her again I don’t no why this happens why I have excessive thoughts of death in my head. I feel like its the sign of death from Allah now a days I relate everything with my death. I don’t know what to do.
Subhanallah zainab I’m 24 years old and been struggling with the same exact thoughts. I had it really bad last year when I lost 4 friends of mine who are all young age. And now it’s back again. But what worked for me the first time was a true cure. It was salah, tasbee7, and dua, and drinking zamzam water. It helps to talk to someone about it that is also struggling with it. I’ve been told by some scholars is getting married helps. I advise anyone that’s going through it to get married.
I am experiencing the same. I go to bed worrying that I dont wake up the next morning. I relate everything to death. My uncle who passed away recently came in dream. Was that a bad sign?
Could anyone help me with this ?
Salaams Zainub
I can relate to how you are feeling
I have been struggling with this for a few months now
As much as i try to be positive and replace my thoughts i still fail
it affects me mostly when i am by myself
my thoughts wander and then i feel like its my last moments
hang in there as will i
take care
Fiza
I suffer from health anxiety and the smallest thing makes me feel I have a terminal illness and it plays on mind and I keep prodding and poking my body for symptoms. I have had this for years but Kobe advise on this it really triggers my anxiety
İ am a 20 year old muslim girl. İ feel that no one around me is able to understand me. On the contrary, they criticise every of my action, even if i am in the right myself! Whether i speak in defence or not, i receive same criticism in return. İ do not say i am not wrong! No, maybe i am wrong mostly but yet not in all cases i am wrong. Being right in some situations hasn’t made a change either. İ only and only trust Allah(s.w.t.) for He is my only hope. Maybe, i know these are tests fom Him and i accept them with all my heart.
But, i have taken so much since that now it seems unbearable. People do not understand me. İ am not usual. Allah made me this way. İ can’t help it. When our thinkings do not coincide, i receive criticism.
Maybe, i am not able to figure out where i am wrong. İ need to know so that i may act according to the situation. May Allah guide us all.
My Father Shot himself in the chest And Alhamdulillah,Allah Saved him! It was A Suicide attempt And He is A drug addict, he’s in a critical condition right now. As we know the hadith if someone commit suicide he’ll suffer it for eternity like how he killed him self. Now my question is, he didn’t die on spot but anything can happen now, if he dies now, will he still suffer for eternity or Allah Will Be Mercy Enough To Reunite Us In Jannah Again? I Know It’s Allah who Will do What He Wants, But wanna know if there’s any hadith or ruling regarding this matter. I just pray to Allah to Survive my father and give him Hedayaah .
Ameen.
Hi. i’m an 18 yr old girl. I’ve been through a lot these past few years. I made some silly decisions such as accepting an engagement marriage which then I found later on that it was not what I wanted as the relationship was not ‘good’ lets say. i broke off the engagement which broke ties in my family including between me and my parents. now I feel like I’ve rented a room in my house as my relationship with my family is not good. I’ve got strength to pray and make dua as I know allah will help me through this but I feel like i’m being tested too much. i’m also an a level student and the stress just adds on to this.
i am always feel lightheaded and anxiety i am always find a way to Allah help me in this issue but i am too much tired of this condition i have too much fare without any reason even i cant go out but i am responsible for a family and i dont want to lose them please show me a way in islamic way to help myself and to recover my illness every day is a new challenge for me but i want to be a healthy person who spend time for warship of Allah and to serve people and be kind with my family but now a days i feel that i am a useless person
I have been having anxiety and panic attacks, but recently it has gone severe. I am just thinking about death all day and this thought never leaves me even during praying ,eating etc. But since my last panic attack all i hear , read or just see any random video its all comes back to death in that also. I am really traumatized as it is affecting my daily life routine.
Salam Fazina,
I am feeling the same and my anxiety due to this is affecting me very badly. Can you share what helped you because when i go deep in to this thought, anxiety affects my thinking, speech and sometimes blur vision and shivering
Assalamu Alaikum, i am also going through this test, although i related the issue with Mum and she gave me some best tips and advice which i will share them here.
1. she told me that she have also went through the same thing but what help her most is that she have a well grounded islamic knowledge, she easily relate the problem with what she read in one islamic book written by renowned islamic scholar, the book expatiate suratul ikhlass’s verse which state ” min sharri was waasil khannas” translated as “From the evil of the whisperer (devil who whispers evil in the hearts of men) who withdraws (from his whispering in one’s heart after one remembers Allâh)” then my mum told me that there is a devil shaydhaan called khannas, that his work is to keep whispering evil in hearts, then she told me to be reciting surat ikhlass anytime i experience such again, that Allah will only take my soul when my time click, and that if it surest that jannah is our abode inshaAllah what are we doing on the surface of earth. we should try and worship Allah till our last breath, mothers mercy is the biggest mercy on earth but it is just a tip in an ocean when compared to Allah’s mercy ,likewise all the good and bounties of duniya compared to Aljannah. May AllahSWT take our souls when he is best pleased with us and our deeds. Aameen yaa hayyu yaa qayyum.