Depression

There was a time when we started MEC’s activity with opening question, “What is your favorite singer?”. Then, my (and also some other members) answer at that time was LinkinPark (LP). I think it was in my high school time when my friend started to play LP’s songs over and over again, so it sticked on my mind. And just like that, I started to like their songs.

After so many years, last few weeks I read news that LP’s singer, Chester Bennington, committed suicide. It was a heart broken news. “His songs have inspired so many people, helped many heart broken soul to survive. Yet, this million saved people can not save this star life” was some command I found on his music videos just few days after the news.

From this, I started to feel curious, what can make him to commit suicide?. I read articles related to his previous life and found out that he was molested by his older friend when he was only 7 years old. His parent divorced when he was 11 years old. And all of this left him vulnerable and he got his confidence back when he started drinking alcohol and taking drugs. It was his family and also the band helped him to solve his drinking and drugs problems. Well, I (and so many people out there) think that the problems already solved. But, his actions by committed suicide left us so many unanswered questions.

He was struggled with his depression and he had this suicidal thought, and not everyone can understand this feeling. Everyone has their own struggle and many can win over it, yet there are people out there who feel vulnerable and weak.

So, what is depression?

We need to differentiate between depression and clinical depression. Depression is a temporary deep distress or sadness, while clinical depression is mental heath disorder that can effect the way you work, study, sleep, eat, and enjoy pleasurable activities.

As a Moslem, what should we do to face this problem?

Yesterday, I asked this question to the members in our Moslems Talk activity. The answer were vary, yet it was all inspiring.

Let’s see how brothers and sisters of MEC deal with depression:

1. Read Sirah Nabawiah. The problems that our prophet Muhammad SAW and the sahabah were so much heavier than what we have right now. By reading their story might left us spirit and strength to live our life.

2. Talk to parents or friends. Sometimes, sharing, not only happiness but also sadness, wit friends can help us to find some solutions to our problems.

3. Reciting Qur’an. Reciting Qur’an heals your soul. In the surah Al Muzammil, there in an ayah that tells us to keep remembering our One God, Allah Azza wa Jalla. By remembering Allah, we know thatour Allah SWT will not give us problems over our capacity.

4. Istigfar. Depression also means that we have sin, and we need to ask Allah SWT that He may forgive us.

5. Be Relax. When you feel depressed, firstly you need to calm down. Things you can do to be relax are by reading books, having some sleep, enjoying scenery, etc.

6. Breakdown the problems. You can start to write down the problems or draw a mind map relating to the problems. This way may help you to find the exact problem you have. By that, you can find the best solution that fit.

7. Ask for expert help. Expert might help you to find best solution to your problems. Make sure to find the expert that understand your problems.

8. Pray to Allah. This is the weapon of Moslems. Pray to Allah that may He give us strength and best solution to the problems we have.

Islam provides us a complete way of life, solutions to every problems we have, included depression and sadness.

Fighting with depression is not as easy as it sound, but those steps above can help us to face our depression, insyaAllah.

Stay strong!

Keep being awesome! :)

Thanks to brothers and sisters for sharing your ideas!

(Odhi, Agus, Akhiar, Ibrahim, Agung, Ilham, Nolvi, Lita, Widi, Melvin, Deba, Rian, Hendra, Haya, Ria, Hanifa)

#Depression #Solution