As Muslims, many of us face a stigma within our communities regarding mental illness that prevents us from being able to seek help. But this is not the only problem we encounter as members of a community. Here are a few more specific issues we might face:

We feel that due to our religious beliefs, our communities are immune to issues such as domestic violence, marital tension, substance abuse, depression, anxiety, etc. In reality, this misconception comes from a widespread lack of discussion and openness regarding these issues, and sometimes even from immigrant cultures which value competition and the outward appearance of perfection. In fact, due to the large number of immigrant Muslims and first generation muslims present in the US, many social issues are extremely prevalent simply due to culture shock. We worry that by seeking support from a doctor or therapist is the same thing as turning away from God. We are told, or we ourselves believe, that mental health issues are simply a result of our own failure to have total faith in God. Therefore, help in the form of therapy or medicine is seen as working against our religion, rather than alongside it. Seeking these forms of help would only bring us more shame, so we choose to suffer in silence. In reality, it is very possible to seek help while maintaining your belief that God is in charge. My mother used to tell me to study for my exam and then pray to God for his blessings. She emphasized that I needed to put in my own effort in addition to turning to God for help. How is taking care of one’s health any different? We go to the doctor when we have the flu and expect him to prescribe medicine to make us feel better. Speaking to a therapist in order to brainstorm ways of coping with anxiety is no different. Neither of these actions prevent a person from completing his or her daily prayers with sincerity. We simply do not know what resources are out there. Are there resources specifically for Muslims? We have no idea. In reality, any mental health resources available to any individual are also available to Muslims. Therapy, for example, is not designed to work for any particular religious or cultural group. A good therapist respects your religious beliefs and has the training and the skills to help you work through your religion in a non-biased manner, if religion is something you’re grappling with. We might worry (in the case that it is religion we are grappling with) that perhaps our therapist does not know enough about Islam to help us work through our anxieties, simply because the general population does not have a sufficient understanding of Islam and its teachings. If this is a concern, of course you would prefer to seek out some kind of Muslim mental health resource. So, again, are there resources specifically for Muslims? Yes. There are not enough, in my opinion, but as Muslim communities continue to de-stigmatize mental illness, these resources will continue to grow. The websites linked below provide several resources regarding Muslims and mental health. We are afraid to ask for help from our parents (who support us financially) because they do not believe in the legitimacy of mental illness. I have spoken to many young individuals currently facing this problem. However, with access to the following websites linked below, young Muslim Americans may be able to show the adults in their lives that mental illnesses are not only common but legitimate and worthy of being addressed from the point of view of Islam; sometimes, the adults in our lives need to hear something from a respected scholar instead of their son or daughter.

Click here to be redirected to The Institute of Muslim Mental Health, a non-profit organization that works with Muslim mental health professionals and focuses on publishing research, community outreach and education regarding mental health among Muslims. The Institute of Muslim Mental Health collaborates with the following organizations and initiatives: MentalHealth4Muslims, The Muslim Wellness Foundation, and Family Youth Institute.