As a new Muslim, I'm facing a lot of inner struggles and need advice.
Assalamu alaikum, everyone. I grew up in an Arab Christian family, but in my late teens, I moved away from that and spent most of my 20s feeling unsure about faith. Alhamdulillah, over the past year and a half, I began learning about Islam and felt deep in my heart that it’s the truth. I’m 26 now and took my shahada during a moment of urgency, fearing I might pass without declaring faith, even though I was still learning. Since then, I’ve fully embraced Islam. By October, I was dealing with heavy mental stress. I had accepted Islam but hadn’t started praying yet, so I thought maybe salah was the missing piece. I learned how to pray and have been doing it daily since, SubhanAllah. But my mental struggles didn’t lift. I decided to read the Quran and finished it once in English (I know Arabic but started with English for ease). Yet, I’m still struggling. I know Islam isn’t a quick fix, and Allah’s wisdom is beyond our understanding. I’ve seen encouraging posts saying trials are tests and bring reward, but I can’t calm down. My anxiety is constant, my mood is low, and I’m overwhelmed wondering what Allah wants from me or if I’m doing something wrong. I’m trying so hard with my duties as a Muslim, but I’m still stressed, anxious, and depressed. For background, I’ve dealt with mental health issues and depression since childhood, likely from an unstable home and family challenges. Seeing other Muslims and reverts live with such peace through tawakkul makes me feel guilty that I’m not the same. I tell myself if my iman were stronger, I wouldn’t feel this way… right? Another layer is I’ve reverted in secret from my family, fearing they won’t react supportively. This adds extra difficulties: 1. Sometimes I miss prayers because of family outings on weekends, which spikes my guilt and anxiety. 2. Fasting is really tough. It’s been three days of Ramadan and I’ve fasted, but weekends are coming with family lunches, and I don’t know how to manage without eating. Some suggested I break my fast due to circumstances and make it up later, but I was so excited for Ramadan and don’t want to break it just because of family. 3. Reading Quranic verses about disbelievers worries me for my family, and it also distances me from their conversations when they involve things that aren’t halal. I could share more, but I’ll keep it short. Any advice or tips would mean a lot. JazakAllah khair.