Freedom from Anxiety, Depression, and Negative Thoughts

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Bismillah Alhamdulillah wa Salatu was Salam ala rasulillah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam rubbish roughly sadly, we are certainly Emery wahala agha 10 min Li Sani of Coco Lee amenia alameen Assalamu alaykum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh

Okay, so honestly, I'm a little jealous because sister Linda got a better salaams than I did. So can we try this one more time?

Salaam Alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh

does that glow? Hayden I needed that because this is my first time at the economists convention. Thank you.

So every morning we wake up, and we check our phones.

We check to see how many likes our pics got our friends pics got, and even our frenemies got on Facebook and Instagram. And then we go on Snapchat to see what amazing adventures our friends have been up to.

And everyone's life seems so perfect.

Oftentimes, we compare our own lives

with the lives of others that we see on social media. And then we're saddened.

We start to think about how we can mask our sadness and portray a happy life.

And social media has made us a little obsessed

with this notion of having a perfect life.

And when we don't feel like our lives are perfect, we become unhappy.

And there are so many reasons why we are sad. One of which is the fact that we're forgetting that this life was never meant to be perfect.

Every single one of us in this room, every single one of us on earth is tested in one way or another. And how can I say that with such confidence? Because Allah subhanho wa Taala made it very clear that this world isn't Jenna. So it isn't perfect. And he told us while in a blue one Nakhon vishay in Manila hope he will do he will not send mentally unwell he will unfussy with summarize, what best should is sobbing,

he said, and we will surely test you with something of fear. Now what is fear? Fear is an emotion.

Allah subhanho wa Taala will test us with our emotions.

And then he said and hunger, and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, all things that may make us sad or anxious. But then Allah subhanaw taala gives us hope and says, Give glad tidings to the patients.

And sometimes shaytaan tricks us and he tells us that if we're feeling sad or anxious, that that means that we don't have faith. That That means a loss of data is angry with us. And that's not true.

sadness and anxiety are a part of this life. sadness and anxiety are natural emotions that Allah subhanaw taala created in us, and everyone experiences these feelings

and a certain degree of worry and anxiety exists in every single one of us and it's completely normal.

And the loss of penulis Allah created a wide range of emotions.

And that we will all experience these emotions, even the prophets, peace and blessings be upon them all experienced sadness and anxiety.

We all know that Prophet yaku alayhis salaam was so sad when he was separated from his son Yusuf. So sad that he cried so much that he lost his eyesight, so panela and we know that

Maryam, a woman who the Prophet salallahu alayhi wa sallam told us perfected her faith.

One of the very few women who actually perfected her faith, that while she was giving birth, she was so anxious. She was so sad that she actually said, I wish I had died before this, and I was long forgotten. panela we even know that our beloved Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam experienced sadness in his life.

There was even a period of time in his life call the animal has on the year or the time of sadness, and when experiencing times of distress, we have to remember that yes, a loss of panula. Tata did tell us, he gave us the heads up and told us that we were going to be tested. But guess what, at the same time, he said, later, you can live Allahu nevsun illa Saha, Allah subhanho wa Taala will not burden a soul more than it can bear. So know that you are strong. And that Allah subhanho wa Taala is telling us that we can overcome whatever challenges come our way. And that the fact is, is that we're given these challenges, because he knows we're strong enough to handle them. And oftentimes,

we underestimate our abilities, but a loss of panco talent knows how resilient and strong He created us.

And I'd like to take a moment to clarify that depression, anxiety disorder and negative thoughts are three different types of ailments. But inshallah tonight, I would like to share with you a few tips to help us through difficult times.

I'd like to share with you five things that we can do to help ourselves are encouraged someone else to do when they're experiencing sadness, worry, or unpleasant thoughts.

And these five tips are from the Quran and the Sunnah of the prophet SAW send them, but also backed by the latest scientific and psychological research.

And there are so many factors in life that we can't control.

But these are things that we can actually start doing right now. And everyone in this room can do them and inshallah I'll show you how. Number one,

your breath.

And I know that sounds kind of weird, because you're thinking sister dunya. We're all breathing right now. But the latest scientific findings are revenue revolutionary.

We can change the way we feel

and change our emotions by using our breaths. Now you don't believe me? Right. But the research suggests that certain types of breathing are extremely effective in helping with depression and anxiety. And I'd like to show you all how, if I can please ask you all to stand up.

Thank you, may Allah bless you.

And if I can ask you to please place one hand on your chest and one on your stomach smilla.

And at the count of three, not yet. At the count of three. I'm going to ask you to inhale through your nose and I'm going to hold up five seconds, and you're going to hold that inhale for five seconds. So you're going to take a big inhale and it's going to take you five seconds to do it like this.

Okay, and then I'm going to ask you to hold it for five seconds and I'll give you the cue.

And then I'm going to ask you to release it slowly for five seconds. Okay?

Are we okay? Okay, this Milan 123 inhale, 12345 hold it 12345 exhale slowly. 12345

really simple, right? But the research proves that doing that about five times. Just inhale, holding, exhale. Holding five times can lower your levels of anxiety and sadness upon alleges Akron, Ohio May Allah bless you.

So doing this five times can significantly help

Learning to use your breath is a very powerful tool and you know what's so awesome about this powerful tool?

You're doing it anyways. It's free. It's easy. It doesn't require any equipment or anything external. And you can do it anytime, anywhere in shot law. Number two, I said I was going to share with you five things number one was breathing. Number two is turning to a last panel with Salah

through Salah, da, and quarter n.

Many studies now these are secular scientific studies

prove that prayer helps lessen the feelings of depression and anxiety. So panela and we all know that when the prophet SAW Selim was there was feeling sadness or anxious or he was going through difficulty, he would rush to prayer, right. But did you know that when the prophet SAW Selim was asked by a shadow of the love on her, she asked him yada Sulabh? What was the saddest, most difficult

day of your life?

time of your life. He said, it was the time right after her deja de la and he passed away and his uncle passed away and he had went to LA if

to make dour and they ridiculed him and they actually stolen him.

So he said that was the most difficult time of his life.

But did you know that right after this difficult time, Allah subhanho wa Taala gifted the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and gifted us all the ultimate remedy for anxiety and sadness and depression and negative thoughts and feelings. And that is our five daily prayers.

Right after thought if

Allah subhanaw taala invaded the prophet SAW send them to this rotten marriage and a loss of parents and a gifted the Prophet the five daily prayers and told him the timings. And these are so effective panela just use a law, especially at the times of day. They're so effective in treating sadness, do AI is also a very powerful tool. We all know that. Right? We all have heard the lectures about diet.

And I want you all to close your eyes, please.

And I can't see you all because of the lights. But I'm going to trust that everyone has their eyes closed.

And they want you to think of something that made you sad or anxious recently. Maybe you're anxious about the results of your blood work, or sad about maybe your spouse losing their job, or maybe you're worried about an upcoming exam, whatever it may be, by the way, are your eyes closed? Good job.

Now I want you to reflect upon this beautiful verse, or the Billahi min ash shaytaan regime? We'll call that a bookworm. Or do you need a steady Blackcomb? And your Lord said, Call upon me, and they will surely most definitely respond to you. Allah subhanho wa Taala right now hears you. And the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam told us that Allah subhanaw taala is shy and generous. He's shy that if we ask him for something, that he wouldn't give us it. And he's generous in the fact that he gives us more than we ask for. So I want you right now, to make a.to ask a lot, because each and every one of us is going through something difficult. And they want you to have certainty that a las

pantallas hearing you and that Allah Subhana Allah will respond to you.

Did you know that every morning and every evening the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam actually asked Allah He made a dua to Allah to protect him from depression and anxiety. And he taught us to do the same every single day. Once he saw a man who was sad and anxious, and he told him, shall I not teach you something that if you say it, Allah will remove your worry and relieve your debts? And the man said, of course, yes, yeah. Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and the prophet SAW Selim said, say this every morning and every evening, Allah Houma in the hour, the beaker mean and Hemi well hasn't

the beaker Mennella dizzy well castle? Ooh, beaker Mennella Gibney well, both

The bigger Minagawa better Dane Walker region. Oh Allah I seek refuge in You from anxiety and sadness. I seek refuge in New York Allah from the inability and laziness. I seek refuge in New York, Allah from coward dice and miserliness and I seek refuge in New York, Allah from being overwhelmed by debts, and the force of men panela

and the Sahabi, who the Prophet says, I'm taught, this.to said, I did this recommendation of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and a swear Allah subhanaw taala eased my anxieties and my burden of debt Subhana Allah

take time out to recite, and to reflect upon the Quran.

Allah subhanho wa Taala calls the quota n, a healing. And he says it's a healer of the heart.

Connect with the core and daily, you know, so panelo Ramadan is around the corner. And Ramadan is the month of quarter end. Make sure that you start from now, even if it's just a verse a day, make that connection with the healer of the hearts with the core n. Number three,

look for the good. And when you do, I promise it will grow. Each and every one of us is blessed in so many different ways. And Shay Pon whispers, and he gets us to focus and pay attention to what's going wrong in our lives. And to completely forget everything that's going right. So pay attention to the good and actually look for it. Think of blessings in your life and be grateful for them. There are so many countless studies that prove that practicing gratitude does wonders for our mental and emotional health. And it helps, especially with depression, and anxiety. And when we practice gratitude, we increase the levels of dopamine and serotonin in our brains, which causes us to be

happier.

And if you can't think of something good that's going on in your life, I'm going to remind you of this amazing head the way

in which the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said,

No fatigue, nor disease, nor sorrow, nor sadness, nor hurt, nor distress befalls a Muslim, even if they were just pricked with a thorn, except that Allah subhanho wa Taala expiate some of their sins for that.

So when you're going through a hard time, if you can't think of something to be grateful for, be grateful for the fact that while you're going through this hard time, Your sins are getting erased, handed in.

And remember that a loss of panatela proclaims, he made an announcement

will ensure cartoon legacy then come if you are grateful, I will surely increase you hamdulillah. Number four, smile.

Many studies suggests that even when you force a smile, it can lead to a change in your mood. They've even done a study where they asked subjects to put something in their mouth to force their lips to go up.

And through that study, they found that even though it was forced, it was a piece of plastic in their mouth, their mood changed. And they became happier, just by faking a smile. And you know, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, he told us Don't belittle any good deeds. And don't be little even if you were to meet your brother or sister with a smiling face.

And so panela I've actually experienced this firsthand. A few years ago, I was going to the local mass center in my area, to give a hug.

And to be completely honest, I was having a horrible day. And it was very sad.

And when I got there, I was thinking a lot. I really don't want to do this, but I have to. And so I got out of my car and I was walking. And as I got to the door, a little girl saw me ran to the door and open that and she had this big smile on her face. So I felt embarrassed. I felt shy not to smile back. And so I did.

And a few minutes later, I realized that I wasn't sad anymore.

And so remember that

You have the ability right now to smile, do it, smile, try it. And remember, it's a charity. Right, the prophet SAW son said to smile in your brother's face faces to space is a charity. Number five, last but not least, spend time with your loved ones. Family Support is so beneficial. And when the Prophet salallahu alayhi wasallam, felt anxious, felt afraid, was worried. Who did he go to? He went to Khadija rhodiola. And her and he found that support in her. And so Allah Subhana, Allah created us as social creatures, if you're feeling sad, reach out to someone.

I recently read a study that was very interesting, they found out that physical touch from someone you know, someone you care about,

can be as effective as antidepressants. So they took women who were experiencing postpartum depression, and they had their husbands, hug them, touch them.

And then they monitored them. And they found that the results were very significant. They were amazing that it reduced the depression and these women so panela. And another study that I read, they had

people go into an MRI machine, and they would tell them, we're gonna zap you on your foot, and it's gonna hurt. And when no one was around, and they got zapped was very painful.

When a stranger was with them holding their hand, it was still painful. But when they brought a loved one in, and the loved one held their hand,

the parts of their brain that processed pain didn't light up like they did before. So they found out that physical touch is so effective. And so panela there's so many chemicals that are released in our body like oxytocin that make us feel good. When we're touched and think about it. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam he used to hug and, and shake hands and embrace his companions and his loved ones. And we're even taught and encouraged as Muslims to do what?

To shake each other's hands. Right, the prophet SAW Some said that when you shake someone's hands, your sins fall. So panela.

And my time is up. But I want you to remember that if these tips don't help, if you've done these things, and your feelings of sadness, of worry of anxiety, your negative thoughts and feelings are persistent, are overwhelming, to the point that it's affecting your life, your relationships, it's affecting your work your school, if it's affecting your social life, your sleeping and eating habits, if it's affecting the things that you used to love, if you still love to do things, and now you don't want to do anything anymore. Please, please, please, please reach out to someone.

Reach out to a mental health professional, make sure that they're licensed

and know that inshallah they can help you. Because Allah Subhana Allah and the prophet SAW Sunday taught us that for every disease, there's what

there's a cure, and know that depression, like other psychological ailments can be caused by a physical, hormonal or chemical imbalance. And that the same way, a person who had hypothyroidism for example, has a hormonal imbalance and would go and see an endocrinologist and they wouldn't feel bad about it, they wouldn't think twice about it. We shouldn't think twice about our mental health either. Our our mind is a beautiful Amana from Allah subhanho wa Taala. And he'll ask us about it. And I ask Allah subhanaw taala by his beautiful names and his perfect attributes to make the quote and a healing for us all. And I ask Allah subhana wa tada that He replaces our sadness with

happiness and joy, and their anxiety with peace of mind. And that I pray that the same way he gathered us all here tonight, that he gathers us all in genitive for those who the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and jack hello hi get in was Salam Alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh