Neuroplasticity, Dhikr and Recovery
Please refer to the definition of terms below.
“Verily, it is in the rememberance of Allah that hearts find rest.“
Qu’ran 23:28
It has long been known that meditation can be used as a powerful weapon with which to fight disease, however,scientists are only just beginning to discover exactly how it affects the brain. I recently read an article about research that had been done with Buddhist monks. Neuroscientists scanned the novices and monk’s brains as they performed exercises in “compassion meditation”.
“The latter showed a dramatic increase in gamma waves….activity in the left pre-frontal cortex(the seat of positive emotions such as happiness) swamped activity in the right pre-frontal(site of negative emotions such as anxiety), something never before seen from purely mental activity.” here
I have also been reading about psychologists who regard depression, anxiety, dissociation and derealisation as being triggered by a small organ in the brain called the amygdala. The amygdala iniates self-preservation behaviours when a person percieves a threat. If exposed to long periods of stress however, the amygdala can “become reset, establishing anxious as the new default.” Anxiety disorders could therefore be a learned condition and as such can be unlearned. But not in the psychoanalytical way that they have been approached in the past. The brain needs to be taught to act differently. New neural pathways need to be set. Until this occurs a person’s brain can be stuck in fight mode, all the time making them exhibit behaviour that is interpreted as personality when in fact it is a neurological problem.
Dissociation and derealisation are behavioural responses to trauma and as such can be symptoms of post-traumatic stress-disorder. Originating as protective mechanisms they end up as symptoms and causes of anxiety. They are a kind of negative trance, what I would refer to as a no man’s land between reality and psychosis, a numb place with a razor sharp edge. There feels like there is no correlation here between such states and the calm trances induced by meditation, but I know nothing about such neural mapping.
The point is, that meditation(which in an Islamic sense means Dhikr and Salat) can train the brain to switch out of ‘anxiety’ mode by increasing activity in the left pre-frontal cortex (the happy side!). Obviously this cannot be done overnight and there are other factors at play with depression so don’t go throwing your meds away just yet! Most neurologists would understand this as a purely physical thing, perhaps even a way to explain spirituality away as just a higher state of consciousness caused by activity in a particular area of the brain. But as a Muslim, I have another theory. Everything in life is connected, as Ibrahim B Syed wrote in his essay on Sufism and Quantum Physics,
“Enlightenment is an experience to become aware of the unity and mutual interrelation of all things, to transcend the notion of an isolated individual self, and to identify themselves with the ultimate reality.”
Why shouldn’t our physical and spiritual selves be connected? Allah has said
“In time We shall make them understand Our messages in the utmost horizons and within themselves.“
Qu’ran 41:53
It may seem like crude literalism to read this verse in such a way. Allahu Alam (God knows best). We have been given the opportunity to fine tune our brains to a “Higher Conciousness”, whether we do so just in order to be happy or to feel close to our Compassionate and All-Knowing Source is up to us.
“I listen to the prayer of every suppliant when he calls Me, let them also, with a will, listen to My call and believe in Me:that they may walk in the right way.“
Qu’ran 2:186
Please be aware that I’m writing for myself, I’m not preaching!
Neuoroplasticity - refers to the “brain’s ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life.“
Depersonalisation Disorder - is “defined by an unrelenting or frequent feeling of disconnection/detachment from oneself during which reality testing remains intact.“
Derealisation - a “feeling that you and your surroundings are not real.”But the person is aware that this is just a feeling, it’s not a psychosis.“
Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - is a “condition which results from exposure to prolonged interpersonal trauma.“
Amygdala - is a “cerebral structure of the temporal lobe which plays a critical role in the expression of emotions and the learning of new emotional responses.” Scientists have discovered that men and women store memories for emotional events differently.
Dhikr - the rememberance of Allah swt. All types of remembering Allah fit under this category but I will be specifically referring to the method of repetition of specific praises and names of the Most Merciful.
Responses
i am loving this article, mashaAllah well said. as an ccupational therapist i have worked with many people and studing neurosciences i came to a similar conclusion and never really found rest in the claim that people are who they are based solely on their anatomy of their brain. experiences of a child..even an adult play a great role in the development of their minds. not to get side-tracked or anything but this is a reason why some researchers might say that a brain of someone who is gay physically is different than someone who is not. as we say that people are always changing..i think this is true, and what changes emotionally or physically are the choices we make. this obviously goes in line with Islam too as we are given choices constantly. the way we come to conclusions, decisions, and adapt are the paths we develop in our concious efforts to do good or not. and when it comes down to it, to reality…the truth is we all -no matter what experiences we witness or that have been done to us-have to make a decision to do the right thing. Allah didn’t create victimization..He creates tests upon tests for us to pass or to fail. He knows the condition of our hearts the best and gives us tests only of which that we have the ability to succeed in. It is our choice inshaAllah to do just that. some would say that alcoholism is a disease, we all know that it runs in families and that it is addicting. but we all know of those who refuse and deny bringing it to their lips even with these factors. all about choice and how we either corrupt our neuroanatomy to feel ok with something that is not, or rebel against something which is anti-fitrah. either of the ways is irreverisble too, and this is the power of decision Allah granted humanity. Allah knows best.
Salamaat Suhaa and thanks for your comment! This information is something that is fairly new to me and it is very liberating as I suffer from clinical depression and I’ve usually been told that it’s just the way my brain is and it may or may not get better. I’ve never been told that I can do something to change the chemical imbalance. It’s wonderful, subhanAllah.
Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 07/13 at 01:33 AM
I wanted to add though that often it is not “we” who corrupt our neuroanatomy, but rather a mixture of genetics and early life experiences over which we have no control.For some people, even coming to realise this and take responsibility for there being a problem is a big step. The question is what do we do about it when we realise that there is a “corruption”?
Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 07/27 at 08:16 PM
about that last q, we need to remind ourselves that Allah created us with the ability to choose and decide..and we can choose to be victims in certain circumstances or choose to be those who put our trust in Allah to help us escape this role. Allah knows best, just my 2 cents.
yes, I agree and that’s what my question was leading towards!
Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 07/30 at 08:07 AM
ma shaa’ Allah sister..nice perspective.
A personal experience, Since paying more dedication in worshiping Allah(SWT) and I have more tolerance “al-hamdulilah” and more positivity..I describe it as ” I got a roomy heart that affords all what was previously out of it”
In the Holy Quraan..
043.036 “If anyone withdraws himself from remembrance of (God) Most Gracious, We appoint for him an evil one,
to be an intimate companion to him.”
keeping Allah in mind withdraws Evil one.There is a suppression for such thoughts elicited by the devil by the rhythm of dhikr.But this is off-topic someway, I just wanted to share my thoughts.
I really liked the article so much, as I have great interests in neural and psychological sciences
Jazaki Allahu khairan my sister
Wafa
Salaam Wafa (welcome to Nisaa!)
I love the first line of you comment - since I really let Allah into my heart, I notice a huge change in myself and it’s interesting that you say you experience more “positivity” - I am noticed this to. But what I find really interesting is that I now ponder death so much more than ever before - the thought is always with me, but yet, I am not depressed by the thought, I really find this very interesting.
and Jamila, it is a great post.
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