How do you deal with alcoholism?

[Safferz]

^ and that all comes down to a cultural problem of Somalis thinking mental illness is just a minor matter, "waa yara fudhuud"... and so marriage appears to be a solution because all the person needs is to be "calmed," through a little prayer and a spouse, not professional attention and meds. I agree with you Blessed that spiritual healing can be important, but it's not an alternative to medical attention as many Somalis seem to treat it as.

[DoctorKenney]

Aaliyyah;948743 wrote:

If I elaborate a lil on your statement "guurso ama u guuriya", Somalis usually hide the mental state of the individual from the prospective spouse. It is quite sad and danbi.

That's actually a SERIOUS problem. I've seen one too many unsuspecting young Somalis marrying someone who's not mentally well. It's very sad and is a horrible substitute for medical treatment

[Carafaat]

Nin Yaaban, inaar, close and personal friend,

 

I will repeat my advice in a more blunt way. Naagaha 'cadaanka' ka har saxiib and make some Somali (girl)friends for a starter.

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

I can't believe dad ayaaba dhaqankii Galbeedka ku taraaraxay, believing 'therapy, counselling' and the likes of AA.

 

Quraan saar ayaa kun jeer dhaamo waxaas. Wax walba waa 'willing' -- a willingness from qofka rabo in uu noloshiisa badalo, no psychiatrist or counsellor or any therapist would change one, if one doesn't want to change. Wax walba waa mental. Same with qofka Quraanka la saaro, same way with qofka loo guuriyo. Everything comes from mentality, not from some egg-head men as though thinking inay adduunka soo dhameyeen.

 

This person is not Linsay Lohan and her likes. What is next? An intervention and a treatment centre? We have our own ways, our own cultural intervention, which is much better than this fancy modern one. And it worked, still working.

[SomaliPhilosopher]

Miskiin can you elaborate on our cultural ways of treating addiction beyond quraan saar

[SomaliPhilosopher]

MMA, I like the guy and his insights into the Somali language. I really do. Though Nin-yaaban I would advice you to restrain from taking his advice on this particular issue and those with the same train of thought in the extremity regarding this issue...

[Alpha Blondy]

where is Nin Yaban,

 

are you are an ALCOHOLIC, inaar?

 

akhaas. you've fallen in my estimations. you ought to in aad isaso aastid.

 

p.s - don't discuss your private problems on a public site. you'll leave yourself open for these animals to make speculative wax-la-yidhi statements about you.

[Tallaabo]

Alpha Blondy;948289 wrote:

since falling seriously ill about 7 weeks ago, i now have an addiction to pre-packaged foods. everything has to be either canned, sealed or bottled. it ruining my life. i don't know what to do? i've noticed i'm getting skinnier......HELP ME PLEASE.

A classic way of hijacking a thread;)

[Tallaabo]

Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar;948774 wrote:

I can't believe dad ayaaba dhaqankii Galbeedka ku taraaraxay, believing 'therapy, counselling' and the likes of AA.

 

Quraan saar ayaa kun jeer dhaamo waxaas. Wax walba waa 'willing' -- a willingness from qofka rabo in uu noloshiisa badalo, no psychiatrist or counsellor or any therapist would change one, if one doesn't want to change. Wax walba waa mental. Same with qofka Quraanka la saaro, same way with qofka loo guuriyo. Everything comes from mentality, not from some egg-head men as though thinking inay adduunka soo dhameyeen.

 

This person is not Linsay Lohan and her likes. What is next? An intervention and a treatment centre? We have our own ways, our own cultural intervention, which is much better than this fancy modern one.

And it worked, still working

.

Yes it worked very well in ruining the Somali society and keeping it in the stone age.

[Tallaabo]

*Blessed;948718 wrote:

I know what you mean, Somalis 'jin diagnosis' for everything is unhelpful but spiritual healing (both religious and secular) can work wonders if used by a trained professional - if fact, it's acknowledge in mental health care plans (in the UK at least), religion and spirituality is dear to many and provides great motivation for change.

 

Another common Somali prescription for mental health that really gets me is: 'guurso' or 'u guuriya'. Grrr

!

In addition to the mental health problems, a lot of Somali men who are gay also marry unsuspecting straight women because of the family and social pressures they are subjected to. Such sham marriages quickly end in disaster, victimising everyone from the "wife" and children to all the parents and siblings. Somalis would rather bury their heads in the sand than confront the social issues which affect them so severely.

[Alpha Blondy]

Tallaabo;948806 wrote:

A classic way of hijacking a thread;)

its true though.

[BiLaaL]

Alcoholism is a serious matter and the noble Qur’an describes it as an abomination for a good reason.

 

The various treatments mentioned in this thread are all attempts at treating human psychology - whether it be with cognitive or pharmacological therapies. We should remember that the effectiveness of such treatments vary greatly at drawing the individual away from the harmful effects of the addiction. There is no harm in offering some of the programs/suggestions mentioned – depending of the particular needs/circumstances of the individual.

 

But while such programs may do some good; they cannot instil the hope and deep yearning the individual has to atone for the sin of drinking – since we all know that consumption of alcohol is a great sin in Islam. Presumably, this individual is a Muslim. If this is the case, then reminding the brother/sister not to lose hope in Allah SWT and turning to him (as sis Aaliyah has suggested) should be our number one response. The following verse of the Quran is pertinent in reminding one of the mercy of Allah SWT:

 

Say, "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful." [Az-Sumar, verse 53]

 

This should be our number one response because until the person satisfies the deep yearning emanating from within to reform the nafs, any benefits gained from programs which exclude the spiritual aspect will only be temporary. They’re temporary because they do not address the root cause but rather only fiddle with the cognitive and behavioural elements of the addiction.

 

Reminding the person to have hope in Allah SWT and that Allah SWT is indeed the forgiving and merciful is the best medicine we can offer. It is the best medicine because it addresses a certain longing of the nafs to change from its current state of self-harming and transgressing the bounds set by its creator; to a level in which the individual’s faith firms and his/her nafs voluntarily leaves bad/harmful manners behind with the help of Allah SWT.

 

Finally, it is important to remember that remaining steadfast in all matters and on the straight path is only possible with the help of Allah Subhanahu wa ta'ala: wa ma tawfiqi illa billah 'alaihi tawakkaltu wa ilayhi uneeb.

[Haatu]

The biggest advice I could give is start going to your local mosque and start praying with the brothers. Also, ditch your bad old friends and make good ones at the mosque. Fear of Allah and hope for a better afterlife is the biggest thing that can take someone out of addiction and other sins. I know of a lot of brothers who used to suffer with these addictions and who are now clean thanks to Allah and then the mosque.

[Khadafi]

Nin Yaab, let me say this bro, Khamriga or alcohol is never a good thing.

 

Sure it makes you happy, and sometimes biirta makes everyone happy. Xaflad with a touch of whiskey with music banging alout is

trempting, laakin brother, I am not going to preach to you,.

 

From a pharmaeceutucal pespective alcohol is one of the most dangerous drugs out theire. Becouse of its acidty and fatty-lipd destying mechanisms it is the only drug as enters all cells of the body and then poisons it. The next drug that does this is heroin and nicotine.

Some would have said if the knew the effects of alcohol in the society they would have banned you.

 

To aknowlidge a person that he has problem is the first step to a solution. If you had alcohol consumpton and abrubpty stops I could recommend some medeicine for you that totaly free the pains of withdrawal,.

 

1-First pray to God and ask god sinciersly forgiveness and that he gives you the strenth to stop the consumotion.,

 

2- Go to the doctor and explain your problems.. Ask for medicine that relives anxiety -- suggestion from me would be alprazolam or sobril.

 

3--- Abstain from friends who consume alcohol.

 

 

If you not the wadaad type atleast dont drink from monday to friday... saturday sunday jinnigaada la dheel:D

[-Lily-]

We had alcoholics back home too so I don’t what the fuss is about. Rehab and access to health professionals that help individuals with addictions is the way to go. If you had cancer you would see a doctor, alcoholism likewise is a disease. I don’t know if these services cost money in the US.

 

MMA, I disagree, there is nothing wrong with seeking professional help. It may have started off as a few drinks that got out of control steadily. Can we not assume everyone has strong faith? An alcoholic person may often not see beyond the next drink to get them through that morning, afternoon, or evening let alone remember passages from the Quran or have a support group willing to deport them back home.

 

Assuming an alcoholic can just stop with the snap of a finger is simialr to people who say 'why dont homeless people get a job and off the streets'?