Self help for depression-Laughing moderately can act as a cure or as therapy for depression and sadness.It has strong influence on keeping the soul light and the heart clear.Abu Darda said," I make it practiceto laugh in order to give rest and comfort to my heart.And the noblest of people,Muhammad(bpuh),would laugh,sometimes until his molars became visible."Laughing is an efficacious way to achieve comfort and light-heartedness,but keep in mindsthat,as in other things,you should not be immoderate.The prophet said:
"Do not laugh excessively,for verily,excessive laughter kills the heart."
What is called for is moderation.
"And if you smile in the face of your brother,then that is a form of charity."
"So he,Sulayman,smile,amused by her speech." (Qur'an 27:19)
Also when you laugh,you should not do so in a mocking or jeering fashion:"But when he came to them with our Aayaat{proofs,evidences,verses,lessons,signs,revelation,etc.} behold! They laughed at them."(Qur'an 43:47)
Among the pleasures of paradise will be laughter:"But this day{the day of Resurrection} those who believe will laugh at the disbelievers."(Qur'an 83:34)
The Arabs would hold in high esteem a person who was known for his smile and laughter.They believed this to be a sign of a generous personality and of a person who has a noble disposition,anxiety and a clear mind. The truth is that the principles of islam are based on moderation and on good measure,whether it is in matters of belief,worship,manners,or conduct.Islam does not condone a rigid,frowning expression,nor does it condone a constant playful giddiness;rather what it does promote is seriousness when it is called for,and a reasonable level of light-heartedness when it is called for.Bearing a gloomy mien and a frowning countenance are marks of a lowly character, a troubled nature,and hot headedness.
"Then he frowned and he looked in a bad tempered way..." (Qur'an 74:22)
The Prophet said :
"Don't disparage{underestimate} any good deed{no matter how small it is},even if that deed was to meet your brother with a friendly countenance."
Ahmeds ameen saisd in his book Faysd al-Khaatir:
"People who are always smiling not only make their own lives more joyful,but what is more,they are more productive people in their work and have a greater ability to live up to their responsibilities.They are more prepared to face difficulties and to find expedient solutions for them.They are prolific worker who benefit themselves and others."
If i were given a choice between having status in society and plentiful money,and between having a happy,radiant,smiling self,I would choose the latter.For what is great wealth in begets misery? And what is high position if what comes with it is constant gloomines? And what good is the most beautiful wifwe if she transform her house into a living hell? Much better than her-a thousand times at least-is a wife who has not reached such a pinnacle of beauty,but nonetheless has made her house a kind of paradise.
Life is like an art or a science; it needs to be learned and cultivated.It is much better for a person to plant love in his life than to glorify money,using all his might to help it ease its way into his pocket or into his account.What is life when all its energies are exploited and used for the sole purpose of accumulating wealth,an existence where no energy is directed towards the cultivation of beaty,splendor,and love?
Most people do not open their eyes to the beuaty of life,but open them only to gold or silver.They pass by a lush and luxuriant garden,a beatiful bed of roses,a flowing river,or a group of singing birds,yet they are unmoved by such scenes.All that moves them is the coming and going of money into or out of their pockets.Money is but a means to a happy life.They have reversed this fact,have sold their happy existance,and have made money to be an end itself.Our body has been equipped with eyes to see beauty with,yet we have trained them to look on nothing but money.
Nothing causes the soul or the face to frown more often and with more intensity than despondency.If you want to be smiling person,wage war with despondency and hopelessness.The door to oppurtunity is always open to you and to others,and so is the door to succes.So indoctrinate your main with hopes of prosperity in the future.
If you believe that you are inconsequential and have been created for things of only minor importance,than your achievement in life will never surpass this initial goal.And if you believe that your calling in life is to achieve extraordinary feats,you will feel in you a determination that can destroy all kinds of barries.This can be exemplified as follows.Whoever enter a 100M race will feel tired that moment he completes it,whereas anyone that enter 400M race,will not feel fatigure after passing the 100M or 200M mark.
Therefor the soul gives resolution and will power in proportion to your goal.Hence you must identify your
goal,and let it be high and difficult to achieve.And never feel despondency as long as everyday yuo are taking a new step in its direction.What blocks the soul,making it frown and placing it in a dark prison? The answer is despondency,hopelesness,seeing everything as beeing evil,searching for faults in others and constantly speaking about the evilness of the world.
Blesses is the one who has teacher that helps him to develop his natural abilities and broaden his horizons.The best teacher is the one that instills kindness and generosity into his pupil,and teach that noblest of pursuit that one can strive for,is to be a source of goodness to other,in accordance with one's abilities.The soul should be like the sun,radiating light and hope.The heart should be filled with tenderness,virtue,benevolence,and a genuine love for spreding goodness to all those that are connected to it.
The smiling soul sees difficulties,ands loves to surmount them.When it sees problems,it smiles,reveling in the opportunity to solve and overcome them,when faced with a problem,magnifies it ands belittles its own determination,while spending all its time justifying.It loves succes in life,but is not willing to pay its price.One very path,it sees a grinning lion.It waits only for gold to shower down upon it, or to chance upon some treasure in the grounds.
Difficult things in life are only relative,for everything is difficult for the ordinary person,while there is no great difficulty for the remarkble person.While the remarkble person encreases in meanness by running away from them.Problems are comparable to a vicious dog.When it sees you scared or running away,it barks and follows in pursuit.However,when it sees your scorn,your lack of concern,and when you shine your eyes in its direction,it gives way and draws back.
Futhermore,there is nothing more deadly than a feeling of inferiority,a feeling that makes its holder lose all faith in his adequacy.So when he embarks upon a project,he is immediately doubtful of its completion or sucxces and he acts accordingly by gratifying these doubts.Thus he fails.Having self-confidence is a noble virtue,and is a pillar of succes in life.It is important to note,though,that there is a vast difference between
conceitedness and confidence.Conceitedness means to rely upon true abilities;it means fulfilling responsibilities,developing talents and organizational skills.
How much in need we indeed are of a smile,a friendly face,easy-going manner,and a gentle,generous soul.The prophet said :
"Verily,Allah/God has revealed to me that you should be humble,so that none of you should transgress upon another,and so that none of you shoulds be arrogant and proud to anothwer."
[ self help for depression and loneliness ]
