Reduce your worries and depression by helping others
In the current global environment and situation where inflation, unemployment, and economic hardship have spread across the world, every person is feeling stressed and hopeless. For some, the burden of anxiety and
depression is evident on their faces. However, a recent study at Ohio State
University suggests that coming forward with kindness and compassion towards
others might actually alleviate your own anxiety and depression symptoms.
According to one of the co-authors of this research
report, David Craig, besides other therapeutic measures, simply practicing
kindness towards others can connect people and improve their mental well-being.
No one is immune to stress, and moments of anxiety are natural when facing
situations like job interviews or starting a new job. However, those who dwell
excessively on their anxieties and become pessimistic can develop serious
mental health issues.
Anxiety can make everyday tasks, such as going to school
or leaving the house, challenging. In some specific cases, anxiety can even be
triggered when boarding a plane or using an elevator. Such anxieties manifest
in physical symptoms, including headaches, muscle tension, or pain.
Another aspect of mood disorder is depression or
dysthymia, which significantly impacts a person’s life and routines.
Overwhelming sadness, feeling isolated and empty, and being hopeless from all
directions are clear signs of depression. This condition also comes with
physical symptoms, such as headaches and digestive issues.
David Craig emphasizes that social connections are the
essential core of life that can bring comfort and that kindness and compassion
can foster these relationships. This study, published in the Journal of
Positive Psychology, aimed to find ways to reduce depression symptoms.
Surprisingly, the results showed that those who were willing to help others
experienced relief from their anxieties and depression.
Co-author Jennifer Shiels stated, ‘We often think that
people who are depressed and anxious won’t give to others because they need all
their resources for themselves. But maybe that’s not the case.’ People who are
struggling with depression and anxiety may find themselves feeling better if
they come forward with kindness and fulfill the needs of others. This action
can boost their self-esteem and make them feel more secure and content.
In this research, 122 participants from central Ohio who
had mild to moderate signs of mental distress, anxiety, and depression were
gathered. After introducing themselves, they were divided into three groups.
Two of the groups received cognitive-behavioral therapy alongside the
intervention of kindness, while the third group was solely given guidance on
enhancing their social relationships. They were instructed to engage in acts of
kindness for a week, whether big or small, that benefitted others or simply
made someone happy, without expecting anything in return.
Over this ten-week study, participants in all three
groups experienced a reduction in depression and anxiety symptoms and reported
feeling happier than before.
Treatment and Solution of anxiety and depression in
Islam
Let’s understand depression a bit! Depression is a
psychological condition that can be described in simple terms as a condition in
which a person experiences a noticeable quality of sadness (depression). In
depression, a person becomes extremely downhearted, anxious, and hopeless.
Furthermore, individuals with depression have to deal with physical discomforts
such as headaches, stomach issues, or pain in different parts of the body.
Psychologists have identified some signs of depression,
and it’s not necessary for all these signs to be present in every individual.
If at least four of these signs persist for at least two weeks and affect a
person’s daily life, it is considered a case of depression. These signs include
persistently feeling sad and down, loss of appetite, insomnia, physical or
mental fatigue, lack of interest in any activity, feeling worthless and having
low self-esteem, blaming oneself for past mistakes, and having thoughts of
self-harm or suicide.
According to my limited knowledge, about eight out of ten
individuals experience such symptoms at some point in their lives, regardless
of the cause, such as the loss of a loved one, an irreparable loss, divorce, o any similar experiences. Feeling sadness, grief, or melancholy in such
circumstances is a natural and normal reaction. However, feeling persistently
depressed and downhearted and having daily life affected by it is indicative of
depression.
Islam is a comprehensive way of life. It plays a
significant role in every aspect of our lives. Whether it is related to our
spiritual life or dealing with upcoming issues and diseases, Islam provides
guidance in the best possible way. It is the religion that instructs us to refrain
from upcoming problems and diseases, and even if we face any trouble due to our
negligence or fate, it provides a solution. Apart from Islam, when we adopt any
other method of treatment, we may have to deal with more or fewer adverse
effects. Islam is the only way that guarantees no adverse effects, except for
hidden divine wisdom.
Grief does not separate from a person; this grief
penetrates deep within them. When such signs appear, we call it depression.
Time brings both the arrival and end of sorrow, but when sadness turns into a
mood, thoughts become entangled, exhaustion sets in, and one remains in
despair, then the disease of depression is born, which is now known as a
recognized illness.
Those who live close to spirituality and worship are not
often affected by depression. Worries related to worldly matters may also
trouble them, and they may become despondent, but their inner spiritual
strength keeps them from sinking, and it rejuvenates their determination. In
the case of depression, where medications are prescribed, the best remedy is
worship and remembrance (of God-Allah Almighty). Those who start experiencing depression
should keep reciting this prayer. It is recommended to recite it at least three
hundred and thirteen times a day.
The
Arabic phrase “لا الہ الا اللہ سبحان الحی القیوم”
translates to “There is no god but Allah, Glorified and Ever-Living.”
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