Reduce your anxiety and depression by helping others

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."