HEALTH & WELLNESS Muslim Youth and Mental Health Challenges Muslims should realize that mental health issues are real and treatable BY KHALID IQBAL
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he murder-suicide of a Bangladeshi family by their sons, Farhan and Tanvir Towhid, as reported in the Washington Post (April 6, 2021), shocked not only a community but the entire nation at the height of mental health discussions amidst a global pandemic. Both young men were reported to have been mentally disturbed for some time and decided to take the entire family with them to resolve their misery. Salma (not her real name) felt she was being followed and monitored by some authorities 24/7 through an electronic chip “they” had installed in her during one of the hospital procedures she had undergone. She still feels paranoid wherever she goes and unsafe in her own residence, doesn’t turn on her computer because “someone is sitting there, watching me,” cannot work under tension at her job and feels forced to go through the day’s work only so she can keep her job. Although her family supports her, they also taunt her by telling her that she is going crazy. Before Covid, Asif (not his real name) was a very social person — the life of the party and one of his college basketball team’s top players. But once Covid started, he started feeling extreme anxiety, a feeling that got worse after it killed his close friend. He stopped going out, didn’t even want to get out of bed. His parents are lost and not sure where to begin or what to do to support their son. Sadia (not her real name) stopped eating properly because she wants to look good so, according to societal standards, she can “fit in with the crowd.” Her subsequent malnourishment, which causes her to feel dizzy, has led to her fainting a couple of times at school. Noting her situation, her teacher sent her to the school nurse. Sadia said she wished her parents would notice her condition and take appropriate steps to help her, but refused help when her teacher asked her if everything was alright. Are such events and situations preventable? I had no clear answer to that and other questions until I took the Youth Mental Health First Aid course offered by our county in Virginia (also see https://www.thenationalcouncil.org/).
WHAT IS MENTAL HEALTH?
The World Health Organization defines mental health as the state of well-being, being a person who recognizes his/her own abilities, can cope with normal stresses of life and work productively and fruitfully, enjoys other people’s company and relationships, and can contribute to his/her community The following statistics are from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Department of Justice. ❯ 1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year (e.g., anxiety, fear of certain life issues, unable to enjoy life or other people’s company or cope with the normal stresses of life that, for some, lead to depression or extreme suicidal thoughts). ❯ 1 in 20 U.S. adults experience serious mental illness each year. ❯ 1 in 6 U.S. youth aged 6-17 experience a mental health disorder each year. ❯ 50% of all lifetime mental illnesses begin by age 14, and 75% by age 24. ❯ Suicide is the leading cause of death among Americans aged 10-34 (https:// www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/suicide.shtml). 22
ISLAMIC HORIZONS JULY/AUGUST 2022
National Public Radio’s Aug. 10, 2021, report states that “American Muslims Are 2 Times More Likely to Have Attempted Suicide Than Other Groups.” One reason for this is because while Muslims face the same factors as the general populace, they also have to deal with religious discrimination and the still-pervasive community stigmatization attached to the “mental disorder” label. Salma, Saida and Asif ’s parents never even thought of going to a mental health professional. After attending the course, I asked the parents who I know well if they had considered this path; they both resisted the idea. One mocked me, saying that “one course doesn’t make you an expert.” The attached social stigma prevented them from admitting that their child has a mental health issue and from seeking professional help. One day, two soccer teammates got into a fistfight. It seemed like a case of racial discrimination, for there was skin color-based name calling. The case was presented to an arbitration board. Both boys’ parents were present, but their reactions were very different. One boy was immediately taken to a mental health professional for assessment and treatment; the other boy, who happened to be Muslim, was scolded. That was the end of his “treatment.” After observing this case, I wondered why Muslims are so far behind other communities when it comes to understanding mental health issues and being willing to deal with it. As a result, they are less likely to access the mental health resources available to all. During a recent workshop, I noted several responses that leave us with something to think about: stigma; the myths that Muslims cannot be depressed, God is punishing them or they are spiritually weak; that it is a curse and therefore an untreatable issue; seeking help from within the community is difficult, something that we need to work on; exorcism, a lack of understanding based on the movie; the language barrier and the system isn’t ready to serve Muslims due to religious and cultural misunderstandings. Muslims need to realize that mental health issues have nothing to do with religion. Depending on Quranic verses only won’t solve these types of illnesses. And besides, many scholars say that treating
