Your Unique Path to Healing From Depression

I recently posted a simple reel on Instagramsaying that low iman can be caused by depression. I posted it because this is one thing I struggled with immensely in my life, and so do some of my clients;

The confusion about feeling a severe lack of motivation for ‘ibaadah (worship), and other responsibilities that come with living a quality life.

Confusion isn’t good for depression, and combined with a sense of failure and low self-esteem, it feeds it more.

Even if you get better, these 3 elements, among others, can definitely cause a relapse. That’s why it’s so blinkin’ important to uproot the weeds that are blocking your highest well-being.

And then depression again over-activates a region in your brain that puts out negative thoughts.

Depression is a complicated, multifactorial condition, and I don’t say that to stress you out, but to give you hope.

If you put in the work in different areas, you’ll heal.

We were created by Allaah ta’aala to heal, and wherever you are right now, know that it can and will happen for you too.

Now, any person with depression flinches at “put in the work” - I can barely take a shower, what are you talking about, work?

Or I’ve worked and worked and NOTHING worked! *feels belittled*

I’ll rephrase it: if you take by the means that Allaah made available for within your capacity, and you continue to rely on Him, answers will come eventually and healing will be possible.

Every person is unique, and it may take some time to figure out what is sustaining your depression.

As a coach and woman who’s suffered on and off from depression since late teenhood (and might I add, now Allaahumma baarik healthy and content), I like to look at mental health from a very broad perspective.

Are you who you want to be?

Are you aligned with your values?

How is your brain health? Is your lifestyle promoting brain health?

Do you suffer any inflammation due to autoimmunity, lack of nutrients, what about your blood sugar, how does it act?

How is your gut health?

How is your sleep?

How was your childhood? What type of patterns that are unhelpful are you still sustaining in your relationships, towards others or towards yourself?

And of course, the answer to depression is always at least partially found in deepening closeness to Allaah, and thus reliance on Him.

Going deeper into this part of your life and empowering you with doable action steps is a crucial part of our work together.

Because showing yourself you are in fact capable of so much you didn’t think you had in you, helps you heal and stave off future depression bi idhni llaah.

The journey to healing can bring up a lot of shame.

Why do I have to put in so much effort, and others can just function? Even people who’ve been through hard things in their life…

I feel emotional thinking back on my own lack of compassion for myself when I was struggling the most I ever had been.

Everybody is tested differently, my lovely sister.

We don’t always understand Allah’s plans for us or for others, and we don’t have to.

What we have to do is take care of our own path to the afterlife without doubting Allah’s Wisdom, planting seeds there and nourishing them.

Maybe Allah didn’t want you fully functional yet because you were trying to function like someone else instead of connecting with your true self.

Maybe you are to be taught the wisdom of life, that He is our only hope, and that He controls all affairs.

Submission is hard on the soul and there is a reason why Allah tests us… It distinguishes the real believers from the insincere people.

See it as getting tags. On Yawm Al Qiyama we want that “woman of sabr during tests” tag! Or “woman that always believes good about Allah no matter what”

Sabr is obviously a word that should be understood from an Islamic perspective. My book recommendation to learn all about sabr (and gratitude): The Way to Patience and Gratitude – shaykh Ibn Al Qayyimrahimahullaah

Being forced to understand we have no control over health or other conditions is challenging, but liberating.

And Allaah never does anything randomly or out of evil intent, He is Ar-Raheem and Al-'Adl.

Moreover, He provides relief.

I lost myself and my voice during the years of depression, and I have doubted too if it would ever really go away.

I would pine for the love I once had for learning, writing, socializing.. I would repeat how much I missed being myself.

I recognize now it was a crucial part of going deeper into my true self, and deeper into my purpose.

I’ll be writing more blog posts on everything mental health, thriving, relationships and religion if Allaah wills it!

So check your inbox for updates and flag our e-mails as “not spam”! xoxo