13 Ramadhan 1433
I'm extrapolating from my own experience here, but I reckon all Muslims feel a powerful sense of release and accomplishment when breaking the fast. I mean, trust me, it feels really good!
Which means for each day of fasting there's a guaranteed high, assuming you get through the day successfully. Of course, there's the horrible possibility of a downer if things don't work out, but generally they do for me, and I'm someone who actually struggles. All the born-Muslims I know seem to sail effortlessly through the struggle, making me feel like a bit of a wimp.
So what I'm coming to is the idea that pursuing the fast might well be efficacious in treating anxiety or depression. This came into my mind as there was an article in today's paper about stress in the workplace and how to deal with it and it suddenly struck me that I couldn't remember a time that I've felt any such stress when fasting, as I'm too busy dealing with the challenge. It's as if everything takes second place to getting on with Ramadhan.
I wonder if anyone has ever carried out serious research into this? Worth pursuing, methinks.
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