A MODULE TO ENHANCE STUDENTS’ HEALTH AND WELL-BEING 101 ACTIVITY On your campus, what are the activities available for you to join? How can these activities help to improve your social skills? SUMMARY ▶ Social support serves as an effective remedy to improve students’ stress resilience. ▶ Social support can be categorised into several different ways: emotional, esteem, informational and tangible supports. ▶ Your behaviour changes in socio-ecological framework can be achieved through activities of four different levels: Individual, interpersonal (family/ peer), community and social/structural. ▶ The methods to improve your communication skills are conversation, use technology, active listening, group presentations, ask questions, critical thinking, reflective learning and find teachable moments. ▶ You can get social support on campus through educational, students, family, government, non-government organisations and community. ◆ You can watch videos of conversation skills. ◆ Youshould use recent technology for better communication tips ◆ You should reinforce active listening. It is not merely hearing but understand clearly, process properly and give feedback. ◆ Practise group presentation and assignments. ◆ Ask open ended questions. ◆ Use tasks and activities that foster critical thinking. ◆ Use more reflective learning opportunities.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS @ UNI 102 BIBLIOGRAPHY ▶ Lin N., Dean A., Ensel W.M. (Eds.). 1986. Conceptualizing social support. Social support, life events, and depression. Academic, Orlando, FL. pp. 17-30. ▶ Developing Social Competence in Children by Wendy Schwartz. September 18, 2016. ▶ Kee-Lee C. 2000. Assessing Chinese adolescents’ social support: the multidimensional scale of perceived social support, Personality, and Individual Differences, 28(2): 299-307. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0191-8869(99)00098-7. ▶ Saracino, R., Kolva, E., Rosenfeld, B., & Breitbart, W. 2015. Measuring social support in patients with advanced medical illnesses: An analysis of the DukeUNC Functional Social Support Questionnaire. Palliative & supportive care, 13(5), 1153–1163. doi:10.1017/S1478951514000996 ▶ Uchino, B. N. 2004. Social Support and Physical Health: Understanding the Health Consequences of Our Relationships. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. pp. 16–17. http://dx.doi.org/10.12987/yale/9780300102185.001.0001 ▶ Health Communication Capacity Collaborative (HC3). 2016. Integrating Gender into Social and Behaviour Change Communication: An Implementation Kit, Johns Hopkins University. ▶ Elly R., Bryan R., Peter B. 2008. Family relationships and mental illness: Impacts and service responses. AFRC. 4(19): 1835-1158. ▶ https://www.verywellmind.com/social-support-for-psychologicalhealth-4119970 ▶ https://www.heretohelp.bc.ca/wellness-module/wellness-module-3-socialsupport ▶ Social Science Today, 2014. Published by Science and Education Centre of North America. 1(1): 24-36. ▶ Nilgun A. et al., 2009. Procedia - Social and Behavioural Sciences,Symbolic interaction theory. 1(1): 902-904. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. sbspro.2009.01.160. ▶ Meltzer, B.N., Petras, J.W., Reynolds, L.T. 1975. Symbolic Interactionism: Genesis,Varieties and Criticism. London and Boston: Routledge & Kegan Paul. ▶ https://www.wabisabilearning.com/blog/8-methods-improving-studentcommunication-skills ▶ United States Agency for International Development (USAID),2017 ▶ Integrating Gender into Social and Behaviour Change Communication: An Implementation Kit. (Socio-Ecological Model)
08 LEARNING OUTCOMES BY THE END OF THIS CHAPTER, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO: ▶ Describe the concept of spiritual health ▶ Explain ways of maintaining spiritual health ▶ Describe relationship between spiritual health and mental health ▶ Explain the importance of spiritual health in life SPIRITUAL HEALTH
HEALTH AND WELLNESS @ UNI 104 8.1 INTRODUCTION In this chapter you will be introduced to the concept of spiritual health. Common manifestations of spiritual health and various types of spiritual health will be briefly discussed. At the end of the chapter, you will be guided with the importance of spiritual health in life. Think and reflect on the last one week of your daily life, were there times when you feel your spirits were up? Or days when your spirits were down? Each of us has an inner drive towards life and living. We can call that drive our spiritual side. Your inner drive may feel drained, worn down, tired, assaulted, challenged, and exhausted during everyday living. When you are dealing with difficult or complicated life issues in addition to everyday life, your spiritual resources may be challenged, overwhelmed, and depleted. At these time, you may need extra resources and support to rejuvenate and recharge your inner spirits. 8.2 IDENTIFYING SPIRITUAL RESOURCES Spiritual practises may be resourceful to you: 8.2.1 Traditional religious practise You may have an affiliation with your religious group. You may find comfort and solace in the religious practices of your religion or talking to a person of your religious traditions. You may find your prayers or attending the religious house such as the masjid or any other religious practices, nurturing to your spirits. Attending congregational prayers in the masjid or worship meetings or speaking with a representative of your religion may nourish you. 8.2.2 Private spiritual practices You may not necessarily be religious; however, you may still have a strong faith in God. You may talk about your relationship with God and discuss aspects of your life in relationship to your faith with your family or friends. Believing is very important. Your private spiritual practices may also include other private practices. Practices like dhikr, meditating (Muraqabah), reflection, contemplation, reading inspiring books, providing care for people who are going through difficult times, being involved in literature, fine arts and nature are spiritually fulfilling. 8.2.3 Expressing feelings There is a belief that “Feelings are the language of the soul”. Whenever you are expressing your feelings one could say, “Their soul is talking.” Whenever you listen to a person’s feelings, you are affirming that inner drive they have towards life and living. When you express your feelings, it lessens the burden you are experiencing, especially when you are going through a difficult time. A spiritual counsellor wrote: “The experience of being listened to is so close to the experience of being loved, that when we listen carefully to a person, they feel loved.” How do you feel today? Try to choose how you feel now from the Feeling Wheel (Refer to Figure 8.1). This can help you understand your feelings better.
A MODULE TO ENHANCE STUDENTS’ HEALTH AND WELL-BEING 105 Figure 8.1 Feeling Wheel Source: https://www.simplemost.com/feeling-wheel-will-help-better-describe-emotions/ 8.2.4 Ultimate meaning Many times, when you are sick or going through a difficult time, you take a look at what is meaningful in your life. You are part of your own spiritual journey. You may wonder, “What is the meaning of all this?” You may review and reflect your life pattern or lifestyle and decide to change. It is a time when you look at what has value and what has meaning in your own life, and act upon what is important to your own values. Understanding your spiritual self is knowing your own spiritual needs and resources. These are your tools to help you find strength during difficult times. Within yourselves there are plenty of resources to help you go through difficult times and most importantly your relationship with Allah can help you go through challenging situations, Insya Allah. As promised by Allah in Surah Al-Insyirah (verse 5 to 6), “Verily with the hardship, there is relief. Verily with the hardship, there is relief.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS @ UNI 106 8.3 SPIRITUALITY FOR MUSLIMS AND NON-MUSLIMS Humans are spiritual. You need to know who you are and why you are created. Having a good spiritual life enables you to live a meaningful life every day. For some people spirituality means trusting in the Almighty and in the afterlife. It affects the inner strength, the serenity, the comfort, and the feeling of love. All religious traditions have one important similarity which is the search for meaning and purpose in life. This helps to push you to reflect on the balance between beliefs and attention—on the links between the personal and the divine. Hence, it is important to reflect on these: ◆ What is the meaning of life? ◆ What makes my life meaningful? ◆ What is the meaning of all this? ◆ What has value in my life? ◆ What is the most important to me? For Muslims, spiritual health also brings you closer to the Creator and the universe. According to Al Ghazali the function of the spirit among others is to know who the creator is, to love and draw closer to Him (muraqabah). For Non-Muslims, you may also practise rituals and follow the teaching of your own faith or religion. Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, and most other religions teach their devotees to practise certain rituals so that you have meaningful and peaceful life. 8.4 STEPS TO MAINTAINING GOOD SPIRITUAL HEALTH Spiritual health is very important in your life to ensure the well-being of the mind. Some important things to do for spiritual health: 8.4.1 Spiritual health and daily life You should understand spiritual health through embracing routine rituals such as: ◆ Proper understanding of life in this world ◆ True faith in the Almighty, the Merciful ◆ Worship is the mediation of the close relationship between man and His creator ◆ Meditate ◆ Read religious books. ◆ Sing spiritual songs ◆ Draw closer to the nature of His creation ◆ Engage in and attend spiritual and religious activities The worship you perform throughout the day should be guided by one main purpose. Sincerely for Allah the Almighty. The best of worship is small practices, but continuous in the long run (istiqamah).
A MODULE TO ENHANCE STUDENTS’ HEALTH AND WELL-BEING 107 8.4.2 Understanding life as a spiritual journey Your life is a spiritual journey. Your ultimate destination is to meet your Creator. Hence, you should equip this journey by: ◆ Giving positive meaning to all activities performed. ◆ Honest and sincere ◆ Showing love and affection ◆ Getting out of the selfish cocoon ◆ Forgiving and apologising ◆ Being grateful and appreciate ◆ Donating energy regardless of need ACTIVITY Have you performed your prayers? Describe how to practise good spiritual health. 8.4.3 Spiritual health and happiness There are times when a person is tested with adversity and challenges in life. God is the One whom you can share your pain and hope with. Spiritual health makes one feel happy, compassionate, having the ability for love and forgive, developing altruism, and a sense of fulfillment. As other humans, you are the best of God’s creatures. Your spirit and your body are created to balance your life. However, you are not alone in facing trials and challenges in life. In the words of Allah:
HEALTH AND WELLNESS @ UNI 108 [And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient] (Surah al-Baqarah 2: 155) In the course of life, everyone including you shall be tested with the feeling of sadness, even the Prophet Muhammad s.a.w himself went through grief. What more you as an ordinary person? In the words of Allah: [Then perhaps you would kill yourself through grief over them, [O Muhammad], if they do not believe in this message, (and) out of sorrow]. (Surah al-Kahfi: 6) One prescribed practice for dealing with depression is a specific dua’ (prayer) designed to ward off depression. [Allah, I seek refuge in You from grief and sadness, from weakness and from laziness, from miserliness and from cowardice, from being overcome by debt and overpowered by men (i.e. others)] (Sahih Al Bukhari: 158) As our hearts were once filled with sadness and distress, we seek to eliminate these feelings with the illumination of the Quran. The Quran is God’s guidance for humankind. It is through the light of this guidance that all things are made clear in our lives. In this university, spiritual help and services are available from Bahagian Hal Ehwal Islam (BHEI) which is based at Masjid Al-Wathiqu Billah Tuanku Zainal Abidin, UiTM. The BHEI is also available at each and every UiTM campus in Malaysia. At BHEI you may enhance your knowledge of Islam and common religious rituals. At the same time, you can develop healthy social interactions with learned ustaz and ustazah. Should you want to have spiritual counselling, you call 03-55442350 or you may visit this link https://masjiduitm.uitm.edu.my/index.php/direktoristaff. You may also follow UiTM Masjid Facebook to watch the religious lectures at: https://www.facebook.com/pg/MasjidUiTMShahAlam/posts/
A MODULE TO ENHANCE STUDENTS’ HEALTH AND WELL-BEING 109 8.5 THE IMPORTANCE OF SPIRITUAL HEALTH IN MENTAL HEALTH Spiritual health is very important in determining mental health. Similarly, without mental health, spiritual health would be disrupted. Regardless of who you are, there will always be a time where you might feel empty and lonely, even though everything in our life seems to be fine. This is perhaps because we may be missing the spiritual feeling of being connected to Allah. Islam is a religion that emphasises the concept of peace and the well-being of its followers. While there are guidelines for you to follow, Islam has set out the 5 pillars for its followers to practise (Refer to Figure 8.1). These pillars help to increase the spiritual and mental health of its followers. Each one of the five pillars of Islam has its own meaning that relates to improving the spiritual health of each Muslim. i. Declaration of faith Faith is very important in Islam, and one begins their journey by proclaiming the Shahadah. When a follower has such faith in Allah, then all the problems and difficulties in life will appear to be lighter as the follower knows Allah is on their side, and He never lets down those who count on Him. So as a Muslim, you should not be pessimistic even in such difficult circumstances, as you have a belief in Allah and His mercy; any challenges can be overcome with the help of Allah, thus strengthening your spiritual health. ACTIVITY What are the characteristics of a student with good spiritual health? Figure 8.1: The Five Pillars of Islam
HEALTH AND WELLNESS @ UNI 110 ii. Doing the obligatory prayers “And establish prayer at the two ends of the day and at the approach of the night. Indeed, good deeds do away with misdeeds. That is a reminder for those who remember.” (11:114) The second pillar of Islam is performing the five obligatory prayers. When performing the prayers, it will help you to elevate your spiritual health and help you to be able to focus on Allah, rather than getting too caught up in their day to day activities. iii. Fasting “So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey – then an equal number of other days. Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful” (2:185) By participating in fasting, you will be able to take care of your mental health and at the same time, train yourself from doing bad things that can affect your spiritual status. Not only that, fasting also helps you to physically cleanse your body as you are more prone to being wary of what you put in your body during the period of fasting. iv. Zakah “And establish prayer and give zakah, and whatever good you put forward for yourselves – you will find it with Allah. Indeed, Allah of what you do, is Seeing.” (2:110) Zakah means to give back to charity; in the Arabic language it basically means purification. By giving alms back to the needy, you can purify your heart from greed, and the act also helps you in building up the society. This activity of zakah can help you in improving your spiritual health by helping you to avoid being selfish. v. Hajj Pilgrimage If you can do the hajj, the activities that comprise hajj can certainly improve your mental and spiritual health. The prayers, the Tawaf of Kaaba, the universal gathering; these are some of the factors that can help in building up the spiritual and physical level of a Muslim. May Allah help you in enjoying the best of our health, both spiritually and mentally. Ameen! 8.6 SPIRITUAL HEALTH AND HEALTHY LIFE Refer to Chapter 1 of the concept of heathy life. By now, you should understand that for you to be healthy in life, you should have all the four elements of health: physical, psychological, social and spiritual health.
A MODULE TO ENHANCE STUDENTS’ HEALTH AND WELL-BEING 111 REFLECTION What are the obligations and characteristics of a truly healthy student? SUMMARY ▶ Spirituality is an important component in the healing and protection of the mind. ▶ The Islamic spiritual traditions contain a wide variety of practices and beliefs that can be analysed for therapeutic benefits. ▶ One prescribed practice for dealing with depression is a specific dua’ (prayer) designed to ward off depression. ▶ As our hearts were once filled with sadness and distress, we seek to eliminate these feelings with the illumination of the Quran. The Quran is God’s guidance for humankind. It is through the light of this guidance that all things are made clear in our lives. When you have disturbances in one of the elements, you are disturbing the balance of your health elements. Hence, you may feel stressed when you are practising spiritual aspects in life. Hence it is crucial for you to practise the spiritual aspects in your life.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS @ UNI 112 BIBLIOGRAPHY ▶ Abdul Latif Abdul Razak. 2018.Terapi Kesihatan Mental. Telaga Biru Sdn.Bhd: Kuala Lumpur ▶ Dato’ Dr Haron Din. 2011. Pengantar Pengubatan Islam. Imas Marketing & Services: Kuala Lumpur, Jilid 1 ▶ Dato’ Dr Haron Din. 2011. Rawatan Penyakit Rohani. Imas Marketing & Services: Kuala Lumpur, Jilid 4 ▶ Rodney Sieger.2020. Making Quality Assessments, The Backbone of Quality Spiritual. ACPE Central California
09 LEARNING OUTCOMES BY THE END OF THIS CHAPTER, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO: ▶ Describe the concept of spiritual disturbances. ▶ Describe mazmumah character traits. ▶ Describe rare types of spiritual disturbances. ▶ Describe holistic practice to prevent spiritual disturbances. SPIRITUAL DISTURBANCES
HEALTH AND WELLNESS @ UNI 114 9.1.2 Main cause of spiritual disturbances As mentioned earlier, in our multiracial country, abnormal experiences such as hearing voices, seeing ‘things’ and hysterical attack are often explained using various sociocultural and religious background. Hence, it creates a dilemma for accurate understanding of these phenomena. Here, you should understand that there are various physical, psychological, social, and spiritual factors that interact between each other to cause abnormal experiences including spiritual disturbances. The prominent scholar, Imam Al-Ghazali, also supported the comprehensive interaction and he suggested that the imbalance between minds, body and soul may cause spiritual disturbances (Refer to Figure 9.1). 9.1 INTRODUCTION In this chapter you will be introduced to the concept of spiritual disturbances. Mazmumah character traits of spiritual disturbances, common and rare various types of spiritual disturbances will be briefly discussed. At the end of the chapter, you will be guided with the holistic practice to prevent spiritual disturbances. 9.1.1 The concept of spiritual disturbances Human creation is made up of three main components of the body, the spirit, and the soul. And as a human being, socialisation with others is part of the essential components in life. All these components have their own characteristics and interact with each other. As a human, you have the advantage of having more physical properties than the physical structure of other beings. Basically, every creature has the same material elements as land, fire, air, and water. All of them will only live their lives. The body can only respond to concrete objects, not abstract ones because of their greater nature. However, in terms of spirit, Al-Hizami, a Muslim scholar stated that “the reality of the spirit is beyond the reach of the human mind”. Al-Hizami explained that the mind plays a role in mobilising other members of the body, providing balance to the body, responding to science and physical matters, and acting as a storage and analysis of information. REFLECTION Describe the concept of spiritual disturbances?
A MODULE TO ENHANCE STUDENTS’ HEALTH AND WELL-BEING 115 ACTIVITY Discuss the concept of spiritual disturbances from the religious, psychological, physical, and social perspectives? Refer to Chapters 2-7 for the explanations of abnormal experiences according to physical, mental (or psychological) and social point of views. However, here, you will be introduced to the main cause of spiritual disturbances from the spiritual perspective. From spiritual perspective, it is believed that the imbalance between the mind, the body and the soul (Roh) may cause a negative impact on your personality, thoughts and behaviour. The constellation of these harmful characters is called Mazmumah characters traits. When this happens, it may lead to the failure of achieving your goals of life. As a result, you may feel alone, and this gives way to spiritual disturbance as well as a tendency to do things out of control. Figure 9.1: Interaction between Physical, Mental and Soul (Roh) 9.2 COMMON SPIRITUAL DISTURBANCES According to Abdul Kadir al Mandili, in Penawar Bagi Hati:Psikoterapi Islam, common spiritual disturbances are the Mazmumah character traits include: i. Being loquacious (talking a lot) God condemns people who likes to talk about nonsensical matter, slander, and blasphemy because these kinds of conversations lead to hostility and strife. ii. Anger Anger can make a person acts beyond human limits. The act of anger will be followed by slander and fights; both can lead to injury or murder.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS @ UNI 116 When feeling angry, you may follow the way the Prophet Muhammad managed his anger. He let the anger dissipate through proper channel which does not contradict to the law. He used anger to correct wrongdoings in an appropriate manner and reprimanded those wrongdoers for doing the wrong things. iii. Malicious envy A very envious person can do thing which may end up as criminally wrong. For example, the act of deception and the ability to destroy another person’s life is one of the traits that are born from the feelings of jealousy. iv. Love the world Being lustful and materialistic are two elements which may bring you to sway from your faith. v. Ego or arrogance The nature of a person’s sense of self in many things from another person until they forget that God alone is supreme. vi. Self-esteem and pride This act has a majestic and arrogant element with the God-given qualities and wisdom. Gratitude ceases to exist in the sense of being overshadowed by feelings of ego. vii. Loving praise or ripple Humans of this type like to be praised in everything they do. The good attitude, the service and the talent must be remembered forever by others. This clearly implies that his good behaviour has not been accompanied by honesty and sincerity. 9.3 RARE TYPES OF SPIRITUAL DISTURBANCES When you experience spiritual disturbances, you tend to feel discomfort of mind, soul, and body. As a result, you feel as if you are not aware of the real life. You are not able to continue with your normal activities (such as your studies, relationship, and interaction with other, fulfilling your responsibilities, worship, and other social activities anymore). 9.3.1 Examples of spiritual disturbances Some of the most common forms of spiritual disturbances are: i. Strange whispering voices You may hear voices asking you to do things that are against Islamic teachings or a voice that makes false statements such as saying he is
A MODULE TO ENHANCE STUDENTS’ HEALTH AND WELL-BEING 117 a prophet or Imam Mahdi. Such a whisper can be very annoying and if left untreated, can lead to insanity. Refer to Chapter 3 to know more about psychosis; one of the important symptoms of insanity. Learn more about voices due to auditory hallucination. ii. Enticing humans (Menjelmakan diri) Sometimes these delicate beings are enticing humans and manifesting themselves so that one can see them in a human or other scary forms. This type of disturbance can cause a person ultimate shock and lose all sense of control. Such experience may also be experienced by those who has mental illness. Refer to Chapter 3 to know more about visual hallucination; one of the important symptoms of psychosis. iii. Scary nightmares Sometimes you may have nightmares when you are in a deep asleep or when you are almost asleep. These situations can also disturb your peace of mind and make it difficult for you to fall asleep, disturbed your sense of calmness and causing you to feel scared to fall asleep. iv. Hysteria This is the culmination of personality problems that results in the loss of physical functioning, even without the obvious signs of physical disability, may be due to psychological disorders, or may be due to prolonged life stress or other causes. Hysteria may also occur because of the delusions of the creatures v. Demon Possession (Rasukan syaitan) Uncontrolled emotional stress can cause you to lose the connection and control of your soul and body. When you are spiritually weak, you will be vulnerable, and the spirits and demons may easily enter your body. Most of the symptoms of spiritual disturbances overlap with symptoms of mental illness. Refer to Chapter 3 for more information. If you experience spiritual disturbances, despite also seeing your spiritual healer (e.g. ustaz or ustazah), please also consult a psychiatrist to rule out mental illness. ACTIVITY What are the examples of spiritual disturbances? Whom should you see if you or your friends experience from spiritual disturbances? 9.3.2 Seeking help for spiritual disturbances In Univesiti Teknologi MARA, spiritual services are available at Bahagian Hal Ehwal Islam (BHEI) which is based at Masjid Al-Wathiqu Billah Tuanku Zainal Abidin, UiTM.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS @ UNI 118 BHEI is also available at every UiTM campus in Malaysia. Should you want to have urgent spiritual counselling, you should: ◆ Call 03-55442350 to consult ustaz or ustazah ◆ Or visit this link: https://masjiduitm.uitm.edu.my/index.php/direktoristaff. ◆ Or call UiTM helpline 03-55442999 or 03-55443999 9.3.3 Symptoms of Spiritual Disturbances You may experience a few changes when you have spiritual disturbances. Below are the examples: ◆ Prolonged headache, especially at dusk. ◆ A scary dream. ◆ Chest discomfort and restlessness at dusk. ◆ The pain in the stomach is like a stomach ache or feeling as though something is moving in the body and often feels like stabbed in the stomach. ◆ Start seeing the supernaturals. ◆ There are weird things around like sweet fragrance, fishy smell, and so on. ◆ Heard voices calling out your name ◆ Dizziness or faintness when the ruqyah verse .read to him. Please remember that psychosis may manifest with similar symptoms like spiritual disturbances. Hence, be wise to get early treatment. The longer you wait to treat your mental illness, the more difficult for psychiatrist to treat the illness and the poorer the diagnosis. There are more examples of hallucinations available in Chapter 3. You may refer to the chapter for more information. Hence, it is crucial for you to have proper evaluation by both experts in spiritual disturbances (such as ustaz and ustazah) and mental health professionals (such as counsellor, psychologist, and psychiatrist) if you have spiritual disturbances. If you or your friends are experiencing any spiritual disturbances, please seek help immediately from: ◆ Call 03-55442350 to consult with an ustaz or ustazah ◆ Career and Counselling Centre at https://careercounseling4u.uitm.edu. my. ◆ Or call Klinik Minda Sihat at any UiTM Health Clinics nearest to you to see a doctor or call 03-55442999 for more information. ◆ Or consult your counsellor, psychologist, or psychiatrist. 9.3.4 Doubtfulness Doubtfulness occurs when you feel discomfort in doing things repeatedly and continue thinking about the behaviour. You are preoccupied with repeated thoughts which causes you stressed out. In severe cases, doubtfulness can lead to mental illness such as ObsessiveCompulsive Disorder (OCD). Please refer to Chapter 3 for more information.
A MODULE TO ENHANCE STUDENTS’ HEALTH AND WELL-BEING 119 Examples of doubtfulness related to worship: ◆ Solat: Repeated takbiratulihram to start the prayer. ◆ Ablution: Repeated cleansing part during ablution (Wudu). Doubtfulness related to Akidah: ◆ Insinuating whispers of the syaitan about the essence and existence of Allah. 9.3.5 Black Magic Disturbances Black Magic disturbance is also called Sihir. Below are a few examples of black magic disturbances: i. Hate witch The form of black magic that makes the victim hate someone or something they should love. As a result, the victim will perform act that shows that he or she does not really like the matter or the individual. ii. Black magic that renders people powerless This type of black magic is used to make a person weak and helpless to go on with his life. iii. Love potion This magic refers to the use of something like venerated oil for the purpose of strengthening the affection of the couple whether on the husband or the unmarried man or woman. Signs of a person who is exposed to such useless black magic or romance are aroused feelings of excessive love or extreme difficulty in controlling that feeling of love. A person who experiences this type of black magic may have an excessive desire to have sex even without a valid marriage or bond. The victim may become blindly obedient to sexual intercourse. This may lead to sexual harassment or sexual assault. Please remember that one of psychotic symptoms is delusion. For example, paranoid delusion occurs when you have false belief that someone is harming you in whatever way. There are more examples of delusion available in Chapter 3. You may refer to the chapter for more information. Hence, it is crucial for you to have proper evaluation by both experts in spiritual disturbances (such as an ustaz and ustazah) and mental health professionals (such as counsellor, psychologist, and psychiatrist) if you have black magic disturbances (sihir). 9.3.6 Addressing Spiritual Needs While you go through difficult situations and challenging times from your day-to-day life, you may have overlooked your own spiritual needs. You may check if you are having any of the symptoms below during your challenging times. You may use conditions below to evaluate the level of your spiritual needs.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS @ UNI 120 i. Spiritual concerns ◆ Discouragement ◆ Mild anxiety ◆ Expressions of anticipatory grief ◆ Inability to participate in usual spiritual practice ◆ Expressions of concern about relationship with God ii. Spiritual distress ◆ Crying ◆ Expressions of guilt ◆ Disturbances in sleep patterns ◆ Disrupted spiritual trust ◆ Feeling remote from God ◆ Moderate to severe anxiety ◆ Anger towards self, friends, family, or God ◆ Challenged belief or value system ◆ Loss of meaning and purpose in life iii. Spiritual despair ◆ Feeling hopeless ◆ Refusal to communicate with loved ones ◆ Loss of spiritual belief ◆ Death wish ◆ Severe depression It is important to note that your spiritual needs can be fulfilled through the four resources discussed in chapter 8, which are traditional religious practices, private practices, expression of feelings and ultimate meaning in life. If you are going through any one of these phases, it is helpful for you to take time to reflect and contemplate on the steps recommended in chapter 8 and chapter 9. Reconnecting with your spiritual self means you are fulfilling your spiritual needs and providing strength to your spiritual self. This can help you find strength during difficult times. Remember, within yourselves there are plenty of resources to help you go through difficult times and Allah reminded us in the Quran: Surah At-Tawbah: 40
A MODULE TO ENHANCE STUDENTS’ HEALTH AND WELL-BEING 121 9.4 HOLISTIC PRACTICES TO PREVENT SPIRITUAL DISTURBANCES 9.4.1 Prevention of spiritual disturbances Kindly refer to chapter 8 for better understanding of the definition of spiritual health. All aspects of life; your physical, mental, social, and spiritual components should function well for you to be truly healthy. These aspects interact with each other to ensure that you are healthy. Disturbance in any of these aspects may trigger changes in your physical, mental, social, and spiritual functions. When this occurs, you are considered “unhealthy” or having an illness or being sick. There are various practices to prevent spiritual disturbances. First it is important to note that muraqabah leads to ihsan (spiritual excellence). Ihsan is where you worship Allah (glorified and exalted be He) as if you can see Him and if not as if He can see you. Muraqabah has 4 aspects to it as mentioned by Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani. ◆ Knowing/ being aware of Allah (glorified and exalted be He) ◆ Knowing the enemy, Iblis ◆ Being aware of yourself and your soul’s capacity to suggest evil ◆ Knowing the deeds to be done for the sake of Allah subhānahu wa ta’āla (glorified and exalted be He) Strategy and practise the holistic approaches to healthy life through physical, psychological, social, and spiritual interventions will make people happy and have a good life. Please remember that severe depression is one of the symptoms of mental illness. There are more descriptions on symptoms of depression available in Chapter 3. You may refer to the chapter for more information. Hence, it is crucial for you to have proper evaluation by both experts in spiritual disturbances (such as an ustaz and ustazah) and mental health professionals (such as a counsellor, psychologist, and psychiatrist) if you are experiencing challenging time in your life.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS @ UNI 122 TYPE OF DISTURBANCES DETAILS PRACTICE Spiritual Disturbance » Histeria Rasukan/syaitan Mimpi yang menakutkan. » Mengekori manusia. » Membisikkan suara- suara ganjil. » Penawar Seribu Guna Al-Fatihah. » Ayat Pembatal Sihir Yunus 81-82. » Ayat Penunduk Sihir Al- ‘Araf ayat 118-122 Ayat Pemecah » Al-Mukminun 115-118 Ayat Keagungan Ayat Kursi. Black Magic Disturbances » Sihir Gila. » Sihir Percintaan Sihir Pendarahan Sihir Pembenci. » Sihir Membuat orang tidak bermaya. » Al-Muawwizat Surah al-Ikhlas Surah al-Falaq Surah al-Nas Al-Baqarah 1-5. » Al-Baqarah 163-164. » Al-Baqarah 225. » Al-Baqarah 256-257. » Al-Baqarah 284-286. Doubtfulness » Bisikan kepada sesuatu kebenaran. » Bisikan yang mendorong syahwat untuk melakukan maksiat kepada Allah SWT. » Bisikan kepada sesuatu perkara yang berlegarlegar di dalam kepala. » Al-Ma’thurat, » Al-Taawuz & Basmalah Surah al-Ikhlas. » Surah al-Falaq Surah al-Nas. Table 9.1: Verses to Prevent Spiritual Disturbances 9.4.2 Suggested verses for practise You may refer to Table 9.1 below for you to practise preventing from yourself from spiritual disturbances.
A MODULE TO ENHANCE STUDENTS’ HEALTH AND WELL-BEING 123 9.4.3 Comprehensive management Kindly refer to all chapters you have learned before of how to be a truly healthy student. Even though you may only experience spiritual disturbance, this condition may cause other disturbances too, because all aspects in your body are inter- related with each other. You should be healthy in all aspects of life; your physical, mental, social, and spiritual components should function well for you to be truly healthy. If you have any physical, psychological, social, or spiritual disturbances, all the four aspects of life may be disturbed and affected. Hence you need to manage all the four aspects. Comprehensive management of spiritual disturbance include: ◆ Consulting your ustaz and ustazah for spiritual enhancement. ◆ Consulting your doctor to treat the physical disease. Certain physical illness (such as delirium, electrolyte imbalance, organ damage) may manifest like spiritual disturbance. ◆ Consulting you counsellor, psychologist, or psychiatrist for healthy coping skills to manage the stress. Certain psychological disturbance (such as psychosis) may mimic spiritual disturbance. ◆ Joining the social activities, exercise and practising healthy lifestyle. REFLECTION symptoms and spiritual disturbances? Whom should you see if you or your friends experience psychotic and spiritual disturbances? SUMMARY ▶ Religious practices are important types of coping with spiritual disturbances and would guide you to live in appropriate manner. ▶ Without strong spiritual and religious foundation and practices, you may have difficulties in managing problems and disturbances in your life. ▶ Being a mindful Muslim means incorporating muraqabah into your daily life with other people. ▶ Muraqabah is a concept like meditation which is one form of mindfulness. Muraqabah is where you are constantly mindful of Allah and how He sees you both inside yourself and outwardly too. ▶ There are a few overlapping manifestations between symptoms of mental illnesses and symptoms of spiritual disturbances. Hence, consulting both experts in spirituality (e.g., ustaz and ustazah) as well as mental health professionals is crucial to ensure optimum evaluation of your problems. ▶ Comprehensive management including physical, psychological, social, and spiritual management is important even though you only experience spiritual disturbance.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS @ UNI 124 BIBLIOGRAPHY ▶ Abdul Latif Abdul Razak. 2018. Terapi Kesihatan Mental. Telaga Biru Sdn.Bhd: Kuala Lumpur ▶ Dato’ Dr Haron Din. 2011. Rawatan Penyakit Rohani. Imas Marketing & Services: Kuala Lumpur, Jilid 4 ▶ Dato’ Dr Haron Din. 2011.Rawatan Penyakit Hati Akibat Sihir. Imas Marketing & Services: Kuala Lumpur, Jilid 5 ▶ Rodney Sieger.2020. Making Quality Assessments, The Backbone of Quality Spiritual. ACPE Central California
10 LEARNING OUTCOMES BY THE END OF THIS CHAPTER, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO: ▶ Describe the importance for seeking help. ▶ Explain step by step ways for seeking help. ▶ Describe your roles in helping others. ▶ Describe how to help others based on case vignettes. CASE VIGNETTES
HEALTH AND WELLNESS @ UNI 126 10.2.1 Seeking help steps for mental health problems If you have any problem, please follow the procedure below to seek help (Refer to Figure 10.2): 10.1 INTRODUCTION In this chapter you will learn about the importance of seeking help. Based on eight (8) case vignettes you will know the step by step of where, how, and what to do to seek help. At the end of this chapter, you will be exposed to how to seek help for yourself and helping others in need. You are not alone, come and seek help to live a better and happier life. 10.2 REASONS FOR SEEKING HELP It is essential for you to seek help to ensure that you can improve productivity, focus and motivation. By seeking help, you can also improve your physical health and have a good quality of life. With a good seeking help behaviour you may get treated early so that you can enjoy everything life has to offer. Seeking help is vital to ensure that you receive proper treatment to manage life orderly and extend your life expectancy. Figure 10.1 below illustrates the reasons for seeking help. Improve productivity, focus and motivation Enhance physical health Allowing you to enjoy everything life has to offer Extend your life expectancy Having optimum quality of life Proper treatment will make life more manageable Figure 10.1: Reasons for Help Seeking
A MODULE TO ENHANCE STUDENTS’ HEALTH AND WELL-BEING 127 Figure 10.2: The Steps for Seeking Help 10.3 DESCRIBE YOUR ROLES IN HELPING OTHERS As a student in a very large university, you may also contribute to campus society by helping other students in your faculty or campus. You may provide a range of support including in: ◆ Giving emotional support. ◆ Helping someone seek help if they need professional service. ◆ Supporting them to improve their social interactions. 10.3.1 What can I do if someone refused my help? If you feel that someone you care about is clearly struggling but can’t or won’t reach out for help, and won’t accept any help you offer, it’s understandable to feel frustrated, distressed, and powerless. Refer to Figure and Figure 10.4 for further information on what you can and cannot do when you are facing this situation.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS @ UNI 128 Figure 10.3: Things You Can Do to Help Others Figure 10.4: Things You Cannot Do to Help Others
A MODULE TO ENHANCE STUDENTS’ HEALTH AND WELL-BEING 129 10.3.2 How can I look after myself? Supporting someone else can be challenging. Making sure that you look after your own well-being can also mean that you have the energy, time, and capability to help someone else. Refer to Figure 10.5 for examples: Figure 10.5: Tips to Look After Yourself
HEALTH AND WELLNESS @ UNI 130 10.4 CASE VIGNETTES 10.4.1 Discussion for Scenario 1 Based on Aleya’s story, she may have an adjustment issue since she has never been away from her family before. Without good coping skills, she may have difficulty to adapt to her new environment. She may have shown a few symptoms of depression (refer to Chapter 3 to know more about symptoms of depression). However, if the symptoms persist in a longer period and she loses her functionality as a student, she may develop mental illness such as Major Depression Disorder. Hence, she requires professional consultation by a medical doctor. Aleya should seek help to overcome her issue so it will not get worse. With strong support and getting the right help she can improve her skills and motivation so she can be an excellent student in the future. What should Aleya do? i. Aleya can find RAKAN in her college to talk to. ii. Aleya can also go for counselling service through counselling2u. Click here https://counselling2u.uitm.edu.my. iii. Aleya can find information about adjustment and how to overcome her issue through https://careercounselling4u.uitm. edu.my. iv. If things get worse Aleya can go to the Health Centre or UiTM Hospitals to see the doctor. v. Aleya should practise a healthy lifestyle see Chapter 5, adhere to religious activities see Chapter 8 and Chapter 9, and involved in various social activities see Chapter 6 and Chapter 7.
A MODULE TO ENHANCE STUDENTS’ HEALTH AND WELL-BEING 131 10.4.2 Discussion for Scenario 2 ADHD is an illness which requires proper follow-up with a psychiatrist. Hafiz needs to find effective ways to overcome his problem such as setting a reminder to avoid forgetfulness or careless mistakes, practise good coping strategies and get support from close friends and family to help him overcome his issues. What should Hafiz do? i. Hafiz can go for counselling service through counselling2u. Click here https://counselling2u.uitm.edu.my. ii. Hafiz can seek help from the Health Centre or therapist at the Psychiatry Departments from nearby Hospital. iii. Hafiz can learn coping skills through tips and articles from websites on how to manage his issues. Click here https:// careercounselling4u.uitm.edu.my/index.php/studentarticle/1108-kemahiran-daya-tindak-yang-sihat. iv. Hafiz should practise a healthy lifestyle, adhere to religious activities, and be involved in various social activities.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS @ UNI 132 10.4.3 Discussion for Scenario 3 Aniq is having financial difficulties; he is unable to pay his tuition fees because his family is struggling with a critical financial issue. This situation may cause great distress for him that leads him to skip classes. Despite facing financial difficulties, Aniq is blessed to have good friends like Hafiz and Syazwan. His friends can help Aniq by providing him information about financial aid from Bahagian Zakat. At the same time, he needs to see and inform his situation to his academic advisor for consultation on her academic issues since he has been absent from classes for two months. What Should Hafiz and Syazwan do to help Aniq? i. Hafiz and Syazwan can help Aniq by providing information about financial support, available from Bahagian Zakat, Sedeqah dan Waqaf UiTM Shah Alam and Unit Pengurusan Kebajikan Pelajar https://hep.uitm.edu.my/main/index.php/hubungi-kami ii. Aniq should see his academic advisor for academic matters consultation. iii. Aniq can get counselling service through counselling2u. Click here https://counselling2u.uitm.edu.my
A MODULE TO ENHANCE STUDENTS’ HEALTH AND WELL-BEING 133 10.4.4 Discussion for Scenario 4 According to case 4, Zura is having a few symptoms of depression including lack of interest, feeling helpless and hopeless, guilt feeling and suicidal ideation. Suicidal ideation is a very serious matter. Please do not ignore if you have suicidal ideation or your friends told you about it. It is important for you to seek help or to bring your friend immediately to get professional help from a counsellor or other therapists. What should Zura do? i. Zura should immediately consult a counsellor by walking in to the counselling unit available at her campus. ii. Zura may also immediately see a doctor at the Health Centre, UiTM. iii. If you or anyone suspect Zura is harming herself or harming others, you should call 03-55442999 or 03-5443999 for assistance. iv. Doctors or counsellors may refer Zura to a psychiatrist at the hospital; should her suicidal thoughts be very significant. v. Once her condition is stable, she should learn coping skills through tips and articles from websites on how to manage her issue. vi. Zura should practise a healthy lifestyle, adhere to religious activities, and be involved in various social activities.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS @ UNI 134 10.4.5 Discussion for Scenario 5 Sheela has shown symptoms of Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) such as shivering and trembling without any specific reason, afraid of negative comments on her presentation and anxiety of not performing well. SAD is fear and anxiety towards social situations when one needs to interact with other people. It is also known as social phobia. Those with SAD may be afraid of being judged negatively by others. Students with SAD need support, encouragement, and suitable therapy to help them cope with the situation. Sheela needs to consult a medical doctor to make sure she gets the right diagnosis. Remember you should not self-diagnose based on symptoms acquired from the internet. What should Sheela do? i. Sheela should attend counselling sessions at the Career and Counselling Centre to learn proper breathing and relaxation techniques. ii. Sheela should learn relaxation techniques and deep breathing technique to reduce her anxiety. See Chapter 2. Sheela can also get information on mental illness symptoms in Chapter 3. iii. Get treatment from a medical doctor at the Health Centre. If necessary, the doctor will refer Sheela to a psychiatrist. iv. Sheila can also learn coping skills through tips and articles from websites on how to manage her issue. v. Sheela should practise a healthy lifestyle, adhere to religious activities, and be involved in various social activities.
A MODULE TO ENHANCE STUDENTS’ HEALTH AND WELL-BEING 135 10.4.6 Discussion for Scenario 6 Zamir is having a few issues related to his health, his mother’s health, and his study. As a diabetic patient, Zamir must take care of his food intake and take proper medications. He needs to be healthy to make sure he is fit enough to support and care for his ailing mother. Zamir needs to see the student’s advisor or the Deputy Dean of student affairs or the Student Affairs Division to ask for advice or help in terms of academic issues. Zamir also needs to learn ways to improve his health condition, self-esteem, and time management to make sure he can handle both issues properly. What should Zamir do? i. Zamir can get more information about physical health and tips for self-care, in Chapters 4 and 5. ii. Zamir can attend counselling sessions at the Career and Counselling Centre. He can set for appointments through https://counselling2u.uitm.edu.my iii. For his medical conditions, Zamir should have regular follow ups with a doctor at the Health Centre. Should his condition be unmanageable, Zamir should be referred to see an endocrinologist; as specialist who manage obesity and diabetes. iv. For social support, Zamir needs supportive friends or buddies to share problems, get support and motivation from. Check Chapter 7 to know more about social support. v. Zamir can also learn coping skills through tips and articles from websites on how to manage his issues. vi. He should practise a healthy lifestyle, adhere to religious activities, and be involved in various social activities.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS @ UNI 136 10.4.7 Discussion for Scenario 7 Everyone makes mistakes in life. But the most important thing is for you to realise it and rectify your mistake. Abortion without a medical cause is illegal. She has made a mistake and should not make another mistake. Aminah needs urgent help. Keeping her problem to herself as a secret is dangerous. She may not get proper antenatal check-ups and the stress may end up with mental illness such as postpartum psychosis. Without good support system, she might end up aborting the baby and committing a murder. What should Aminah do? i. She should find someone to talk to for disclosure. She can talk to RAKAN or PEERS to support her with her problem and get proper advice on the next step to take. ii. She can make an appointment with a counsellor at the Career & Counselling Centre at https://counselling2u.uitm.edu.my iii. Aminah should see the doctor at the health centre for medical check- up and pregnancy follow up. iv. Aminah can get more information about stress management and relaxation techniques. See Chapter 2. v. Everyone should support her to go through this serious crisis. Aminah requires a very good support system vi. She should practise a healthy lifestyle, adhere to religious activities, and repent to God of the previous wrongdoing, and be involve in various social activities that are suitable for a pregnant woman.
A MODULE TO ENHANCE STUDENTS’ HEALTH AND WELL-BEING 137 10.4.8 Discussion for Scenario 8 Cyber bullying is something in trend nowadays. Some people use social media to do some bad things like bashing other people, hatred comments or even posting something to slander others. This toxic situation may cause a lot of trouble to the mental health and sometimes it became the reason for some people to attempt suicide. Please use your social media wisely. Be someone who spread good vibes to the world through your social media. What should Hadi do? i. He should find someone to talk to about his problem. He can talk to RAKAN or PEERS to support him with his problem and get proper advice for the next step to take. ii. Hadi can make appointment with a counsellor at the Career & Counselling Centre through https://counselling2u.uitm.edu.my iii. He should consult the HEP office by calling 03-55443523. He may also visit https://hep.uitm.edu.my/main/ for more information regarding matters related to his problem. iv. He should also consult HEA by calling 03-5544 3159/3300. He may also visit https://hea.uitm.edu.my/v4/ for more information regarding his academic matters.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS @ UNI 138 ACTIVITY Whom should you see if you or your friends have holistic management when you are seeking for help. SUMMARY ▶ Based on these 8 case vignettes you will be exposed to the step by step of where, how, and what to do to seek help. If you need counselling services please click this website https://counselling2u.uitm.edu.my. ▶ Students should know the reasons why seeking help for mental health intervention is important. ▶ Students should know the step by step of efforts in seeking help based on the level of urgency. The emergency helpline for UiTM is 03-55442999 or 03- 55443999. ▶ Students should have the awareness of the importance of early help seeking help early so that early intervention to prevent further complication can be implemented. BIBLIOGRAPHY ▶ Lehigh Center for Clinical Research. Why seeking treatment is important. Retrieved from https://www.lehighcenter.com/the-importance-of-seekingmental-health-treatment/ ▶ Career and Counselling Centre. https://counselling2u.uitm.edu.my ▶ Career and Counselling Centre. https://careercounselling4u.uitm.edu.my ▶ Mind for better mental Health. How can I look after myself, Retrieved from https://www.mind.org.uk/ ▶ DSM5 Diagnostic Criteria for ADHD Adult. https://www.healthinfi.com/aboutadhd-symptoms/ ▶ Tips For Managing ADHD https://www.therapistaid.com/therapy-worksheet/ tips-for-managing- adhd ▶ Counsellor Voice Topik Kemurungan https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=lejVl1GA- MI&feature=emb_logo
A MODULE TO ENHANCE STUDENTS’ HEALTH AND WELL-BEING 139 DISCLAIMER All information (such as emails, telephone numbers and addresses) in this guidebook is valid at the time of writing and production of this guidebook. This module guidebook does not replace medical consultation. It is intended for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Never ignore professional medical advice in seeking treatment because of something you have read on the Health and Wellness @ Uni. If you think you may have a medical emergency, immediately call your doctor, or dial 999 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT We wish to express our deepest gratitude to Pfizer (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. for their support and generosity with an educational grant (ID MAPP 05-8056) to support our project on Health and Wellness @ Uni. The main purpose for this project grant is to develop a module guidebook for the prevention of mental health problems and mental illnesses among students. The application for the grant is approved by the Vice Chancellor of the Universiti Teknologi MARA (Reference: 100-UiTM (NC:13/5)
World Health Organization (WHO)