Religion and depression : a phenomenological study of the lived experiences of Muslim survivors of depression

Abstract

It has been established that cultural meanings, religious practices and beliefs influence the experience and the consequences of health and illness. Major problem that currently exists is the lack of studies on Muslims in general and their mental health in particular. The present study addresses this issue, focusing on the experience of depression among Muslims. It considers the causes of depression based on Muslims’ experiences, how they experience it, and how they cope with it. In-depth interviews were conducted with 9 Muslim participants who have experienced and recovered from depression. A phenomenological analysis of the data indicated that among the causes of depression among Muslim are; family/marital conflict, devoid of love and belonging, social adversity, environmental hazard, behavioral misconduct, personal loss and trials in life. Furthermore, the study indicated that family and religion can either be useful means of overcoming depression or a source of initiating and feeding depression. Participants mentioned that during the depression they experienced fatigue, physical deterioration and self hate. Some went to the extent of despairing from Allah’s mercy and attempting suicide. After going through these experiences, they narrated that their recovery started from within, incorporating hope, believe, finding a confiding relationship and religious practices. All these can suggest a model for counseling Muslim patients and clients who are experiencing depression. According to this model, recovery is a combination of interventions. Muslims find solutions to their suffering and recovery through reading, understanding and accepting the teachings of the Qur’an and the Sunnah. The major findings of this study emphasized that employing religious teachings in recovery should be preceded by and always go hand-in-hand with positivity and hope.