10 Ways to Battle Depression: When Prayer (Salat) Doesn’t Heal Me
If I were to break my leg, would you tell me to pray for it to be healed, go to a doctor or a mixture of both? After healing from my broken leg, when I then tell you that staying indoors all day and not being able to pursue what makes me feel happy is making me feel depressed, would you tell me to pray for it to be healed, go to a therapist or a mixture of both? For many individuals in brown and Muslim homes, the answer for the second question is usually to simply pray that it will get better. But why are these situations handled differently?
Mental health, particularly depression, is often not viewed in brown communities as a legitimate condition or concern. If you are sad, you should see your blessings, pray and move on. If this recommendation worked, why are there so many of us left with the same feelings of depression?
Many of my clients are Muslim, as am I, and so I will speak from the perspective of a brown, Muslim woman. Why was I depressed? Was it because I didn’t pray enough or with enough conviction? Or is it simply that prayer by itself is not always a solution? Believe it or not, but when we look at both Quran and Hadith we see that we are not simply instructed to pray more to fix our feelings of depression. We have options, options that many seem to not realize exist within a religious realm. Below are just some of many religious recommendations given across both Quran, Hadith, Sunnah and religious scholars for managing feelings of isolation, sadness, grief and ultimately, depression.
*Note I am not a religious scholar but am rather summarizing many evidence-based solutions that are in-line with Islamic values, as established by other religious authors, the Quran, and Hadith.
10 Ways to Battle Depression that are Not Prayer
1) Finding and Establishing a Support System- A Community
In Islam, Muslims are encouraged to be active participants in their families and communities in order to concrete integral bonds and relationships. Muslims are taught to help one another, whether he/she is an oppressor or being oppressed, and thus to support one another no matter what, in whatever manner is required. Finding a sense of belonging, establishing healthy relationships within a family and community are considered essential parts of managing grief, sadness, isolation and depression.
2) Seek Shura- Counseling by Others
In Islam, Muslims are taught to seek consultation, or counsel, by others before making decisions. This consultation may come from others who will be impacted by the decision, the community as a whole or by those with more knowledge on the subject of the decision. This can mean to seek support by the community, as established in the first tip, or to talk with those being impacted, such as one’s family, or to talk to a professional, such as a therapist.
3) Monitoring Our Diet
Muslims are given guides on all aspects of life, including appropriate diet. From modern science, we are also aware that many of these Islamic recommendations are also now scientifically proven to be beneficial to our physical and mental health. Some of these include eliminating or reducing beef intake, keeping well hydrated (1/3 of stomach space is for water/liquids in Islam), engaging in mindful eating and healthy portions (1/3 of stomach space is for food in Islam), and eating at particular times of the day. Dietary changes can lead to positive improvements with mood regulation.
4) Walking Outdoors
Islam encourages Muslims to walk outdoors and appreciate nature. What we know from current science is that both sunlight and physical activity are linked with marked improvements in mood and physical/mental well-being. Walking outdoors 3-4 times per week or 30 min or more intervals have proven to reduce depressive symptoms in individuals, along with healthy diet and interpersonal dynamics.
5) Staying Hydrated
Islam encourages individuals to stay well-hydrated, as mentioned above with the 1/3 stomach rule. We know that a dehydrated body created a dehydrated brain which leads to every day challenges around mood, concentration, and feelings of peace and contentment. Staying hydrated is essential to being able to develop healthy emotional regulation skills. Conquering depression requires a healthy brain, and without water, that healthy brain is simply not a reality.
6) Deep Contemplation/Meditation
There are countless stories from Hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) isolating himself so that he could engage in deep contemplation or meditation practices. Having an ability to detach from unhealthy environments or situations to then be able to concentrate on difficult choices and moments are crucial for empowerment and growth. Meditation and contemplation can be integrated into every day life by means of setting aside 20 min of your work commute to think deeply about life to learning mindfulness and appreciation of your blessings when you sit down to eat or shower. There are many ways to add these practices into a daily routine, which can give us time to process the issues that are making us feel isolated, alone or in despair.
7) Sabr and Shukr
Two concepts in Islam that are talked about and sung about and yet we do not tend to think too deeply about. Sabr is a form of patience that extends beyond just a short time period, like being stuck in traffic. Sabr is a concept of knowing and having full faith in one’s life being completed in the hands of Allah (God). Shukr, additionally, is more than its common definition of appreciation. Instead, Shukr emanates a deep level of gratitude for every positive, every negative and every mundane experience in one’s life; knowing that everything is happening for your own benefit, even if you cannot see that in the moment. These two concept together remind us to engage daily in mindfulness practices and ritualistic prayer that allows us to reflect on and engage with our whole body this idea of appreciating every moment, every experience and knowing that the good is for us to humbly enjoy and the bad, troubling moments are there for us to experience with a purpose that is ultimately best for us. This level of patience and appreciation can be very difficult, but once able to fully integrate this concept, can help one to become more resilient through each depressive episode.
8) Creating Daily Routines
Prayer assists in keeping Muslims on a daily clock, but on top of the five required prayers are additional positive routines that can be set. Islam teaches us that every muscle and part of our body has memory, including the brain, and so when we are able to establish healthy routines for our physical, mental and spiritual health, we are able to increase our muscle memory in a positive manner. When depressed, it can be very difficult to find the willpower to even get out of bed, let alone tackle the entire day. Yet, when we’ve created solid routines for ourselves, it may still feel difficult to get up and get going, it will be much easier to get up when your body has been practicing your daily life routine every other day.
9) Mindful Prayer
Establishing and learning ways to be more mindful while praying has been very beneficial for many clients who often say that they struggle with focusing on prayer when they feel depressed. There are many mindful skills that can be learned that change these moments from being frustrating to giving true spiritual connection and relief from depression.
10) Addressing Issues with our Hands- Changing the Situation
Islam gives Muslims a mandate for when something bad is occurring, with the best solution being given as changing the situation with your hands. Sometimes depression is triggered by oppressive relationships, unhealthy work boundaries or negative self-talk; when these types of issues are the cause of depression, we can work towards remedying the situation by addressing the issue head-on in whatever manner we deem most appropriate to our situation.
All of these tools, along with class mental health interventions, are implemented in therapy sessions with clients. If you would like to learn more about how to incorporate these skills or wish to receive additional support, feel free to contact us today.
“So, verily, with every difficulty, there is relief: Verily, with every difficulty there is relief.” (Quran, 94: 5-6)
Written by Jasmine Ali, MSW, ACSW