Dina, you are really an inspiration, I'm a black christian and I know that detail has nothing to do with the video, but I've been a viewer of your videos for a few months now and you truly reminds me that colours/religion doesn't affects how beautiful a soul is.I really hope God bless you for your messages of peace and for showing how you live and how beautiful you are.
Dina you should really start a series called 'lets talk' and discuss topics like this and stuff like the fashion world, making it in the industry, motherhood, current events? Would be awesome to see 👏🏼👏🏼
It's sad that mental health issues is still considered a taboo in the Muslim society. It's time we break through the stigma surrounding this and address the problem accordingly before more people (especially the Muslim youth) become affected. Thank you for speaking up about this, Dina! 💕
Anis A- I'm a 14year old Somalian muslim girl, and would like share my story on bulimia and no longer having control. I started to intentionally purge at the age of 12, when my parents went through a divorce. I just enrolled into new high-school ,were l was getting bullied within the first week I started....At this moment in life l've oready decided to end my life... I hated everything ,and everyone .So purging would be a escape from all this deppresing crap. I would feel so relieved after l barfed up my whole meal.. I was dealing with all this on my own ,l was to cowardly to tell my mom or anyone else.... Because of mental health issues being tossed under the wheel or it being taboo😢😢....As hard as it was , l lived with it. For the last two years. The emotion i felt was deppresion anlong with anxiety, it was hard for me to breath without crying along with anger... I even cried myself to sleep, without a reason. The unlimited purging, led to me uable to control my vomit pattern.(It would come anytime of the day).It had mentally and physically effected me , i tried to slit my wrists, but i was scared of more pain....I came up with the idea that , i would die a very slow, unwelcomed death. Anyways moving on, i was discharged from hospital a week ago because my blood sugars&salt-weight was terribly low.. 161cm and 44kg(I probably weigh less now). I hated being at the hospital. Knowing i had bulimia ,no medicine would cure my deppresion. So i was discharged soon after being told there was nothing wrong with me...(I can't even process half a cookie, without it coming straight out of my mouth). I feel like voiceless, coward .. Even today my mom thinks i need a reading(quran) done....😧😧😧
Honestly to label the problem a 'Muslim' problem may be an oversimplification. It's mainly to do with culture. Even in the west, mental health is struggling to be awarded legitimacy, and you can't really attach a single religion to 'the west'. Regardless of all of this, mental health is a universal issue, and I think it's great that Dina is helping promote that fact. May Allah reward her for her positive influence on the youth.
Sis I really agree about mental illnesses being such a stigma. So many people are suffering in silenece. Im really sorry about your situation. I also suffered with an eating disorder myself. Alhamdulillah Ive recovered, wasnt easy but it was possible. Sis feel free to message me if you need anyone to talk to. You dont have to go through it alone. You deserve so much happiness and goodness. You deserve so much more in life x
This video is extremely important for a number of reasons, one being the fact that not only does it address the need to open up the conversation about mental health and reduce its stigma, but it also touches on the issue relative to the muslim community and POC in general. It also highlights the fact that anyone can suffer from a mental illness and have it go undetected for years, and how careless everyday acts can implicitly influence the cognitive processes of those around us, namely our more impressionable youth. Such videos are very important, and having watched you since your first video (literally) and seen the influence you can have, can contribute a great deal to bringing about social change. Again great video, very interesting watch! x
One of the thing I love the most about Dina's RUclips channel is going through the comments and seeing so many amazing, strong, beautiful muslim women expressing themselves. I'm a white girl who grew up in a very white, christian community and haven't had the chance to meet a lot of muslim women in my life. I'm so mad at how the medias portray you (if they portray you at all !), especially hijabis, because it is so wrong and faulty. Muslim women are so strong for going through so much shit every day (sexism, islamophobia, racism for a lot of them, some people pressuring you because you are too much covered and others because you aren't covered enough) seriously HOW do you not loose it ?! I'm French and I was so ashamed this summer over the whole burkini situation, I'm so sorry for the humiliations you girls have to go through on a regular basis. So thank you Dina for empowering so many women with your channel !
Whoopsy Nessie oh my god Nessie don't apologise, it isn't your fault at all, but I have to admit that it is true but I think people like you are needed to support others. Thank you so much you really made me smile. I hope your day goes well ❤️❤️
Whoopsy Nessie you're French and you haven't had the chance to meet lots of muslimas wowwwww last time I was in France I felt like I was in Algeria or morocco u must live in some out of the way town, so interesting actually
the other day, I was feeling particularly sad, and I did my dhuhr prayer, and when I sujud, I cried! I cried for a good minute, and then once I stopped and continued the rest of my prayer. idk why but I needed to write this.
I consider myself an atheist and a feminist, however as a middle-class white woman I have struggled to find ways to make my feminism more intersectional. Apart from Dina just generally being a lovely, funny and of course extremely stylish woman, that is the main reason I subscribed to her. It's so amazing that we live in a world where it is so easy to access the voices that are misrepresented or completely ignored by western mainstream media and politics. I think that you are making a massive contribution to reduce stigma around Islam and muslim women in particular. You have definitely enlightened me about a lot of things, I have learnt so much watching your videos. They of course stand for themselves, but I believe that they have also made me a better person and a better feminist. And I genuinely want to thank you for letting me listen.
@ava lawrence No, I'm German. And I don't mean to just bash Western media, they are doing an important job and a lot of them are doing it well. But when it comes to women's issues, women of colour in particular, I find those voices to hardly be given a chance to speak for themselves in the media, not to mention in politics. That's a problem in and of itself, but from my perspective it's also problematic because it prevents others to access and empathise with their views, you know what I mean? I don't have anyone in my social circle that I could discuss these issues with unfortunately, so I am happy that things like RUclips provide a platform for people that are underrepresented in the public eye to voice their views and others the opportunity to access it in a more or less democratic fashion. And I am grateful to people like Dina that take the time to provide it :)
Cordelia Miller I never felt that way, just a sense of distance, but I am happy you understand my point and you have overcome those reservations :) Have a nice day!
I did notice you talk about your weight alot... But I never understood because I think you're so gorgeous! I think that's why I can't lose weight, I am so conceited. LOL. But seriously, I applaud you for sharing and spreading awareness as many many women and girls suffer from eating disorders.
Well Dina you are 100% right about ethnic minorities not talking about mental health like they want to brush it under the carpet!!! Like you will be shamed or looked down upon! Its very real and happening in society but very little awareness ... Sad
I did the "military" diet too, though I didn't know that's what it was. Everyday, I'd only eat grapefruit and some tea. Some other fruits here or there. I then went on walks/jogs every night. this lasted for a few months, and I lost SO much weight. it practically fell off me. my mom would compliment me, saying how nice I looked. she knew I was eating practically nothing, yet she encouraged me. I'm lucky that I eventually got happy with my weight and went back to eating normally (I gained back all the weight anyways). If that hadn't happened, I can imagine it would have gotten worse, and I might've gotten a full blown eating disorder.
BIG issues we, minority communities have, are discussing these major issues, sex ed, sexual harassment, mental health/depression. it's really sad and needs to be acknowledged and adressed!
I like how you talked about mental health & Islam. I think this is true for anyone of any faith. As a Christian myself, I feel very stigmatized & judged for mentioning I have depression, anxiety, as well as body image problems/eating disorder tendencies. So many older or more "mature Christians" attribute it to not trusting in God enough, not having enough faith, or simply something wrong with your spirit rather than it being a very real, brain problem. It's very hard to manage mental disorders & faith in God.
as someone who grew up in a christian eritrean family, I relate with this so much. Having any sort of mental issues are seen as a disgrace and unfaithful, and the older generation blame it on your lack of faith. It's incredibly damaging, especially to young girls. Thank you for uploading this a year ago, because it has helped me and so many others. What an incredible woman you are!
Im so glad you talked about this subject on your channel especially for the younger girls, wish i had something like this to watch when i was in my teens
JazakAllah Khair Dina, this is probably the most important video you've ever posted. I agree with the last two main points in our community we really need to be more open. Your story had me in tears because although I haven't suffered with eating disorders, I do understand how it feels to be out of control of your own mind and I know a lot of girls struggle with different escape mechanisms that can be harmful to us in the long run. Thank you for being so open and honest
Dina, this is such an important video to share not only with everyone, but with our Muslim community. Thanks for sharing this, I'm sure this has helped more people than you know!
I've seen a lot of eating disorder videos on RUclips, but I appreciate yours the most because of your honesty and clarity. Some people don't understand how I could actually GAIN weight and binge when I was having my worst body image issues, and the way you talk through things in this video would be a much better explanation of the head space I was in than I could come up with myself! I'm hoping that anyone who is struggling with body image or an eating disorder sees this.
I suffer from panic attacks, the worse thing is I don't know what triggers them. Because of this I never know when I am going to have one. I recently had a panic attack at Uni. I always dread having one in a public places, never mind having one at a place I have to go everyday. It happen in front my all my classmates. Everything, was normal, we were all sitting at our desks and Bam it just hit me. I don't think people understand how incredibly scary it is, it feels like the worlds is closing in around you, your heart is beating incredibly fast and it feels like you can't get enough air into your lungs. I become dizzy and it feel like I have pins and needles every where. What made it worse, and this is absolutely no fault of hers but one of my teacher escorted me out of the room (thank God) into an empty class room, because I was crying hysterically she was trying to comfort me by hugging me and trying to calm me down. One of the things that never helps me is when people touch me, I don't know how it is for anyone else but when I am panicking I already feel claustrophobic, so the very idea of someone trying to touch me adds to my distress. Mind you she didn't know what was happening to me even though I was fully aware but had no power to stop it. It was one of the worse days ever, I never want it to happen again and I pray for others who are in similar predicament. All of my teachers are now aware and know that if I ever have one to just stay with me in a room, and wait for me to ride it out on my own, because it will fade eventually. Which is a good thing. I wish people where more forthcoming with problems that they are dealing with. I wish it wasn't taboo to talk about these kind of subject. It would help a lot of people not feel isolated and alone. I know this is really long winded but I just want to say, Thank you Dina. This video alone will help so many people, although I don't suffer from Bulimia, I know that there are a lot of people that do. It is good that you are using your platform to have an open discussion and dialogue, because you never know, there could be some one out there who needs to be reassured ad be reminded that they are not alone and things could get better. So thank you again Dina, for being brave enough to talk about the issue you have faced and sharing how you have overcome them. xxx
Jasmin hiya, you're so strong for being so positive even thought you have panic attacks. I also had a panic attack at uni and when i had it i never went back and dropped out. I regret the decision but i dont have any ways to cope with it. I now have anxiety and suffer from it on a daily basis so please dont leave ur uni. I had no idea what was going on with me and all I could see was my life falling apart. Im trying to pull myself together and accept it. But obviously it would be so much easier if the people around had knowledge of it, even though they will never understand until they have it themselves. Xxx
Jasmin im sorry to hear about this. You should definitely seek help. Check if your university has a therapist or get a referral for one. Panic attacks are actually one of the easiest pathologies to cure. Good luck :)
Jasmin I have the same thing as you I'm in high school and it is so embarrassing when panicking in front of ur classmates and it just happens so randomly for no reason just know ur not in this alone
HAAMBO I am on the same boat as you, I have panic attacks and taking a psycology class in school has helped me learn about myself and others. It's scary when you feel like your alone. Panic attacks, depression. I have horrible social anxiety... We are strong, we can overcome it. ❤❤❤ thank you for sharing.
your story literally broke my heart!! never in a million years would i have ever thought such a beautiful and bubbly person like yourself went through such a rocky childhood!!!
Thank you for sharing your story Dina! It really hit home for me. I really feel that its not only the Muslim religion that doesn't like to talk about Mental Health issues. There are several other religions who will shun people or make people "feel" shunned because of their Mental Health issues. Sad truth there. But like you said, if the person you are trusting to help you does nothing or makes you feel ashamed because of how you feel or because of what you are telling them, then they are not the person to trust with that request for help. Find someone else, keep reaching out. You'll eventually find a helping hand and hopefully it'll be sooner rather than later. Again, thank you so much for sharing your story. Love ya! #HerVoiceIsMyVoice
This is so important. I was clinically diagnosed with depression on my first year of uni and I developed bulimia but because of the stigma around about mental disorders I couldn't discuss my struggles with anyone. I was even encouraged to starve myself to try and lose the weight that I have put on. I was in a very dark place and was going through a continuous cycle of binging and then feeling guilty. I'm not saying that I'm better now but I'm trying to control the urges to binge. Thank you Dina for sharing your struggles with us
I'm glad you talked about your story and also that you mentioned men can have eating disorders. My friend's brother was hospitalised for a period when he was 14 for an ED, and he also used to exercise for hours at a time. It's so important that we talk about these kinds of things so that people know that they can get help if they need it and that they're not alone.
Thanks for being so honest and open about your experiences Dina. I really think it will help other people out there experiencing similar issues. I absolutely agree that there needs to be more sex education within the Muslim community. When I was a medical student in Cardiff I was part of the Sexpression organisation at the student union that goes round the Cardiff high schools and teaches sex & relationship education. It was so sad to see all the Muslim kids get taken out the class before we started because their parents would not allow them to be present. And this was only like 1 or 2 years ago. I even read on the Cardiff Muslim primary school website that they are proud they do not have to partake in sex/relationship education as it not required by UK law, it is only optional. Islam teaches us to become educated, and sex & relationship education is so, so important for young people to get correct information and be able to ask embarrassing questions in a safe environment. It also teaches them about boundaries and what is acceptable in a relationship, what it abuse, how to protect against diseases, how their bodies work & change, etc etc. I have thought about maybe setting up some kind of sex & relationship education for girls via the mosque as I know so many of them will have been denied this important education when it is offered at school. There are so many young Muslim people though that this should really be a mainstream thing and not something they can go to as extra outside of school. Plus so many teens may be stopped from having this education by their ignorant or overly conservative parents, but actually do not ever go to or have much to do with the mosque. 😊love your videos 🙏🏼
Nomad314 Really great idea to set up sex education classes for young uslim women, especially classes on a healthy and positive relationship, which is rarely discussed within an British Asian family. It would be great for you to pilot and then perhaps set up a national network through social media etc!
Thankyou for sharing this intimate part of your life you are so empowering you talk so lovingly about receiving help to enable ourselves to lead a fruitful and healthy life where we don't need to live in our heads but see a bright future for each and every woman and man. Accepting help is the first step to saying yes I care about my life enough to take care of myself properly x. Keep up the great work Dina and team x. Your a fantastic role model and very honest x
Dina, this was such a good public service. Thank you for being a frank role model for young people and peers. I'm your age and really appreciate the peer advice and viewpoint!
glad that you made this vlog, its good to see a role model taking about her issues/vulnerabilities. we get so wrapped up in social media and envisioning other peoples lives as being perfect because of that they portray online. its nice to see the human side.
Dina, I love how you're always so authentic, funny and absolutly never in any way fake. You're always so true to yourself and one can see how comfortable you feel in your own skin, no matter what you're talking about, even if it's topics like eating disorders, laxatives, or shi**ing all night :D You're just such a sweet person, strong woman and true inspiration! Don't ever change :)
Hey Dina! Love your videos. You are a truly inspiring and relatable woman! I'm always supporting you. Keep up the great vids!! Xxxxx Love from an old sub!
when I grew up and became mature and walked such a long journey I finally realized God subhanhu wataela created everyone beautiful in their own way there is nothing wrong with being overweight and we girls are much more than looks and bodies we don't need to be copies of oneanother
wow you are so courages to talk about this. I felt so bad listening to it, people dont know the struggles of others and only think about their own struggles. You're truly great, Masha Allah
I love this calm, informative & honest side of Dina. Really appreciate this video! I could agree more with everything you say, thank you for talking about this, it really needed to be acknowledged.
Dina you're so transparent I love it! I personally have never dealt with this issue, I don't think I could ever because vomiting is my biggest fear and in your case I've gotten used to not working out lol. I dealt with depression & the reason why I wanted to comment was to point out your title and how you still claimed this issue over your life by saying "my." I used to do the same about depression, when I finally spoke out to my leader about it & I kept saying "my depression." She then corrected me & helped me realize that. I'm Christian & one thing I've gotten from my leader is to always speak life. Our tongues have the power to speak life or death, so if I'm constantly saying my depression I feel I am still claiming it over myself & not speaking life so I started to practice referring it to just "the depression" & would even go as far as saying "In Jesus name I no longer deal with depression" on the days where I felt the enemy trying to creep thoughts into my head. I no longer battle with depression but because it was something the enemy saw he could use against me he still every once in a great moon tries to creep bad thoughts in my head but because I'm so far past that I can easily catch his evilness. Well anyways I'm sure that you still will be attacked every once in a while because the enemy is relentless & tries to bring in the past to break us & I know you're past it but in a long story haha I wanted to say be careful to how easy it is to claim certain things over ourselves. Hope that makes sense & you see this because it honestly has helped me overcome depression & I know it will keep me from any other issues in the future. - Desi (:
Well done Dina for talking about such a personal subject so candidly. I know you'll help loads of Young girls out there. Because we all go through our own battles with body imagine. It's important not to ignore it.
You look stunning, Dina! Mashallah! I have battled my eating disorder since I was 13, and I'm 22 now. I have exercise bulimia but some anorexic tendencies. I'm in the Army National Guard , so having exercise bulimia is easy to cover up since we have to stay in shape anyways. But I go through periods where I will eat next to nothing for days or weeks at a time. This has been such a tough thing and knowing that someone who I watch all the time on RUclips, and look up to has battled it too makes me feel like I'm not alone in my fight to get healthier. Thank you so much for such an amazing video.
I always thought you are one of the lucky ones to have such a good body working in fashion and photo shooting. You have a great sense of fashion btw i'm not Muslim but seeing how you dress makes me want to dress like you. Everyone has their stories. I also did the laxative thing when I was younger haha I am 30 yo now, and yes 'food thoughts' is always there but in a rational way nowadays. Thanks for sharing, its an eye-opener for all woman!
Dina, Thank you SO MUCH for sharing more about your experience with an ED! You are helping remove the stigma from mental health issues! Keep up the great work my beautiful sister. Love always, Holly
thank you Dina , I watched the whole video and I am grateful that you decided to speak on this topic and raise awareness I hope others who are going through the same thing do not feel alone and that they seek help as you said, thank you again and I wish you and your family all the best :)
It's so amazing you talk about this topic. Especially since in the Muslim community it seems to be even more a taboo thing than for non Muslims. (As a revert I'm experiencing both sides.) I totally can relate to your story. My eating disorders (Anorexia and Bulimia) started when I was 16, and now at 26 I'm still caught in that sh*t. There are a munch of other mental illnesses I've been struggling with since I was 14/15/16 until now. I reverted to Islam when I was 17 and well, if I got 1 Euro for everytime someone told me "Mental Illnesses are caused by low iman or by being possessed by jinns or by ayn or sihr. Pray more, read the Qur'an, listen to Qur'an recitations, make Du'a, get Ruqya done to you... You don't need psychiatrists or psychologists. You don't need antidepressants and such things." It just sucks to not be taken seriously, to be looked down onto and being told you're a bad Muslim. As if illnesses like eating disorders or depression don't already make you feel like a complete failure... And I mean nobody would tell a person with cancer or broken bones "You don't need a doctor. You don't need medication. Just pray and everything will be fine. All you have to do is trust Allah to heal you." But didn't Allah give us the knowledge to learn about these illnesses and how to treat them?
Desiree Higgs Yeah, sometimes I come across YT videos of people saying "I was alcoholic, but once I reverted I was cured" or "I was severely depressed and suicidal, but reverting to Islam erased these problems" and something like that about eating disorders too. And it gave me 2 different reactions: 1. An addiction/severe illness doesn't just disappear from a day to the next. 2. Why didn't that happen to me? Am I such a bad Muslimah? What did I do wrong what they obviously did right? (That led to feeling more depressed, mor eating disordered behaviour, more suicidal thoughts and generally feeling even more worthless.) So I think statements like those can be quite dangerous.
This is very powerful, very courageous and I'm sure must have been difficult to do.. you explain and discuss complex issues very clearly and engagingly. Much respect.
I love how you are so real and authentic. This video is 30 minutes long and I didn't even realise because I was drawn in by you. You are a true inspiration to a lot of hijabis, especially where I am from, South Africa. You have really been blessed with the ability to positively influence muslim women. May Allah (swt) bless you and your family and may there be a lot blessings for every single person (male and female), who benefit from this video. Ameen x love you xxx
I appreciate you opening up! The community needs to be more open about these topics in shaa Allah. And I would love to see more of these types of videos from you as well!
A couple of hours ago, I tried to make myself throw up because I went to my psychiatrist and weighed in ten pounds heavier than last time. So I got home after band practice, went upstairs and tried to hurl. I didn't work and I wanted to cry, but now I scrolled through my subscription box and saw this video and immediately clicked on it. I'm taking it as a sign that I shouldn't start something that will hurt me in the long run
Honestly my favorite video of yours! I love watching you like this as if were having a one on one conversation. God bless you and congrats on fighting this disorder. You're so strong!
Thank you Dina for making this video. We have very similar issues in Caribbean culture and the church. The older generations are not willing to talk things through or take these issues seriously & religious views make youths feel guilty for speaking up. Mental health is a topic that we all need to discuss more!
dina, thank you for sharing this i think its so important to talk about this stuff their are so many cases of people who suffer from these illnesses and are afraid to speak up ! you are so beautiful thank you for your words xox
Oh my gosh Dina, I totally get you. I am currently in my mid teens and I am actually experienceing everything you were experiencing (the way you style your scarf to look slimmer, insecure about you body even if you werent that fat and also eating continuously but still being skinny and also the chocolate thing). I honestly thought I was the only one. P.S thank you so much for being such an inspiring human being
i am severly mentally ill. my diagnoses are Bulimia, Borderline Personality Disorder, Major Depression, Social Anxiety, Addiction & OCD. I'm wishing all the ones here which struggle like i do struggle..all the best.
I was late for work and when my boss asked me why I couldn't lie. my answer was simple, I was watching Dina Tokio. it's the truth! while having my coffee,some Dina just seals the deal 💯🙏
I'm glad that Dina no longer suffers from this condition. The notion that people with mental health issues are weak is completely detrimental and soul-crushing to the sufferers themselves and to the society as a whole. Sadly many other cultural communities share this belief. When you really look at the world around us, you see we are constantly influenced by hundreds of overwhelming messages about how you should behave, think, feel and look. As Albert Einstein once said, if you make a fish climb a tree then you make them feel worthless. Each human was designed in a way that cannot be duplicated, even if you tried a million times. I'm happy to see Dina overcome her illness and share her experience with her viewers. She is part of a force that is pushing back on any means that can induce low self-esteem and even self-hatred. No one should ever feel ashamed of the body they were born with, and Dina is living proof.
Everything you said about how you view your body, how you binge, the laxatives everything. I relate 100% and I'm so glad you made this video because I thought I was the only one feeling these exact thoughts. Thank you for sharing your story Dina.
Really happy u talked about this disorder, im overweight, im 5'3 and weigh 150lbs, actually im pregnant too but before being pregnant i was around 145lbs, i put on this much weight in 3 yrs, before that i was mostly around 125lbs, and in these 3 yrs i have thought of getting over the laxatives sooo many times, but someone always stopped myself that no ill just eat healthy and exercise but wasnt able to do that either, now im pregnant and scared to death that how much weight am i gonna put on now.so i have started to exercise now, and i had planned to use laxatives after i had my baby. But seeing this now, ill just breast feed and try to exercise. Thank you ❤️
I am blessed to not struggle with eating disorders and my attempt at using a laxative (I'm dehydrated thus constipated) clashed with my bipolar meds and anxiety so I had terrible gastric pains. NEVER AGAIN. Thank you for coming out and possibly saving many girls, boys and children's lives. Eating disorders affect more than just skinny or curvy people, so many experience these illnesses in silence.
You are an incredibly articulate lady who is extremely brave. I'm a recovering alcoholic and WHO classifies alcoholism, eating disorders and compulsive gambling together. None contain a truly addictive substance but we use our addiction to feel better about ourselves. Today I work as a disability advisor often supporting people around their benefits. Without breaking any confidentially through my work I've been fortunate enough to meet many people affected by eating disorders. I say fortunate because, although they all had horrendous stories, they were wonderful open people, much like yourself. With alcoholism we all know the health risks but people, in my experience, are quite ignorant of the damage eating disorders cause. From damaged teeth all the way through to bone, kidney, liver and or heart damage. I think the only one most people know is the damage to the menstrual cycle, which in my limited experience some ladies see benefit in this. This is obviously hearsay, but it is first hand hearsay. This is a subject that needs to be spoken about within all cultures, genders, socioeconomic groups and ages. But so does the causes, especially body image. It's easy for me as a 56 year old man to say true beauty comes from within, but try telling someone in the mid teens this. Up to now I wasn't a subscriber to your channel and I came to this video as a recommendation. I'm ever so grateful it did because you have given me even more insight in to this condition. I totally believe the levels of pills etc. as this element of your story fits in with others I've heard. Brilliant video and I know why you have such a massive amount of subscribers.
Wow, lots of this story was heartbreaking to hear and I'm so glad that you're putting your willpower into better things than hurting yourself. Thank you for sharing your story!
this is very insightful, i always thought you were naturally slim and didn't like food, great that you speak up on such issues and i also love that you contribute to creating awareness of certain issues by responding to mails with sid.
Dina, you are such an inspiration! I suffered from being bulimic for 7 years, and have been in the clear for the last 10 years. Until I watched your video, I hadn't realized that I still do binge eat! There is no such thing as eating in moderation in my mind! As a consequence, I still suffer from weight issues and not feeling comfortable in my skin- though, I have come a long way from where I was! Thank you so much for helping me realize that I need to change my thoughts about food! In a sense, I haven't really beaten the eating disorder like I thought I had! New goal for 2017, to eat healthy and to eat in moderation! God bless you! You are beautiful!
Beautifully worded ♡♡♡ Love your open and honest approach. These are really important issues that we need to start tackling in our communities. You go girl!!!
Totally agree with you Dina about the need for more communication about eating disorders and mental health. These issues are so common when you start to scratch the surface. I don't know if there actually is much stigma surrounding these issues, but I feel like there is stigma even if that's just my perception.
It's from Asos. www.asos.com/au/asos/asos-premium-jacquard-hoodie-co-ord/prd/7034824?iid=7034824&clr=Floral&SearchQuery=jacquard%20hoodie&pgesize=2&pge=0&totalstyles=2&gridsize=3&gridrow=1&gridcolumn=1
I have so much respect for you for sharing this. It will help to destigmatise eating disorders, especially in the muslim community. You will help so many people with this video. Proud of you MA!
I've felt depressed for a while alongside having anxiety and the combo of both is horrible, I've dealt with them since I was 16 and now I'm 19 and only recently I feel I understand it more. As a Muslim it's hard to approach these issues so I repressed them for a while and didn't attach any sort of label. I still struggle with my self image everyday and I still find it hard to love the person I am as well as still having bad thoughts but I am concentrating more on finding peace through Allah (swt) with external help. I have experienced bad stuff in my childhood and although I still have to come to terms with this...I have a slightly improved support system. Alhamdulillah I can say I haven't had an eating disorder as such but I have starved myself on and off a few times but I wouldn't necessarily call it a massively worrying situation. Moral of the story; it still affects me a lot but Insha'Allah I'll be improving myself the healthy way and have a better view of myself but the depression and anxiety still very much affects me but I can control it a little better... And yeah, suicide and self harm is something I'm way too familiar with but I have faith in Allah (swt) and trust to protect me etc so I feel in more control. Being Muslim and suffering these things is definitely something that is less talked about but it definitely doesn't mean it doesn't exist and keeping quiet about it/suffering in silence can make matters worse, may Allah bless us all with strength to get through this test of society and images and stereotypes. Even to the non-Muslims by the way. Ameen❤
Amarah Mariah hey! If you aren't already, please consider seeing a gp to get access to therapy! When I was your age (I'm 22 now), I had similar struggles and since I didn't get help til now, it's catching up to me now and it's harder than ever. I would hate for anyone else to go through that so please consider! I hope you can see the light in this dark time
Omg ive been searching for a longg time for a muslima that wants to openly talk about ed and your the best one❤️❤️ Thankyou so much your such an amazing person ! Love you dina😍
I agree with you!! Sex education is VERY important, & it's so ridiculous how taboo that subject is. Also with mental health, it is a very serious issue that MANY people suffer from. I pray & hope our future generations will not make these issues so tabboo & normalize it
Gurrrrl, this was such an open, honest video - thank you. Also, scrolling through the comments, it's amazing to see you reaching people from all walks of life - all different colours, castes, creed, faiths. That's amazing, honestly. Well done for being you! 💃 xx
First of all, I want to say that I'm so glad that you are feeling better now, and I really hope that you are able to improve even more. Also, I think you are doing a very important work here because, as you said, these topics do not get talked about a lot and they are so important. Better education could literally save lives! So I hope we all as a society improve in these aspects as well.
Dina, this was extremely brave of you to open up like this. I also must say that you are awesome for mentioning that before anything else, we are in fact all human and all suffer with the same afflictions regardless of our religions.
you remind me so much of myself I've been suffering since i was 16 and now im 19 and Egyptian too, so glad you're fine now and thank u for ur honesty love u so much
I'm so glad you've had the strength to speak about it, Dina! We need to start speaking about the things that our communities are always so afraid to speak out about 💕 unfortunately our older generations don't understand that these are actually serious situations and sicknesses!
I understand your pain Dina. I'm indian and I think in asian communities people don't talk abt mental health, food disorders. The whole view on mental disorders and food disorder is weird. Like people saying you need to eat. Eat more is great. Like my brotger was 5/6yr old I was 10yrs old . So aunties would say to my mum n me, my bro. Oh you feed your daughter like she is punjabi healthy. Too the point that you focus more on her. But your son is so skinny basically saying he is anroxic. Then i'd feel self conscious abt being fat n my bro felt un boyish cx he is suppose to be big.
Asees Hera Trust me I relate to this so much... the thing is , Honestly , people in communities like ours are SHIT they have something or the other to say to us. They are going to keep commenting on us regardless of whatever type of person we are... the only solution to this is to flipping shove their damn opinions aside, love ourselves and spread positivity 💜
Pastelle Dreams I know I don't care anymore. When I was wee my mum would have to reassure me.Another thing was my mum height 5ft . So due to the bloody aunties I use to also think will I go tall? We sibling had a late growth spurt. It was funny really my mum would reassure me and i'd reassure my bro.
Sandra Mike I said because I was stating a example. Now a days you can't tell by name. Also I was talking abt asian community as Dina did. Thanks for being so rude.
You are so brave to speak so candidly to the world about such a painful and intimate topic. I hope that this video helps a lot of people and that your courage allows others to be courageous. Thank you.
Dina, you are really an inspiration, I'm a black christian and I know that detail has nothing to do with the video, but I've been a viewer of your videos for a few months now and you truly reminds me that colours/religion doesn't affects how beautiful a soul is.I really hope God bless you for your messages of peace and for showing how you live and how beautiful you are.
What a beautiful comment! I sure hope she reads it, and I'm glad I did too. Such sweet words!
such a lovely thing to read xx
SophieConseiland+ 💖💖👍🏻
omg are you me 😂
SophieConseiland+ vkk
Dina you should really start a series called 'lets talk' and discuss topics like this and stuff like the fashion world, making it in the industry, motherhood, current events? Would be awesome to see 👏🏼👏🏼
Modesty Prevails yesss she shouldd
Modesty Prevails That would be awesome!
would be amazing if she does youtube AND a tv show about that
I agree!
Modesty Prevails YOUR INSANE 😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳
That's why I'm a mental health nurse as a proud female Bangladeshi Muslim.
Unfortunately for a lot of young girls, they don't actually notice their weight until they see other girls on social media and start comparing.
It's sad that mental health issues is still considered a taboo in the Muslim society. It's time we break through the stigma surrounding this and address the problem accordingly before more people (especially the Muslim youth) become affected.
Thank you for speaking up about this, Dina! 💕
Anis A- I'm a 14year old Somalian muslim girl, and would like share my story on bulimia and no longer having control.
I started to intentionally purge at the age of 12, when my parents went through a divorce.
I just enrolled into new high-school ,were l was getting bullied within the first week I started....At this moment in life l've oready decided to end my life...
I hated everything ,and everyone .So purging would be a escape from all this deppresing crap. I would feel so relieved after l barfed up my whole meal..
I was dealing with all this on my own ,l was to cowardly to tell my mom or anyone else.... Because of mental health issues being tossed under the wheel or it being taboo😢😢....As hard as it was , l lived with it. For the last two years.
The emotion i felt was deppresion anlong with anxiety, it was hard for me to breath without crying along with anger... I even cried myself to sleep, without a reason.
The unlimited purging, led to me uable to control my vomit pattern.(It would come anytime of the day).It had mentally and physically effected me , i tried to slit my wrists, but i was scared of more pain....I came up with the idea that , i would die a very slow, unwelcomed death.
Anyways moving on, i was discharged from hospital a week ago because my blood sugars&salt-weight was terribly low..
161cm and 44kg(I probably weigh less now).
I hated being at the hospital. Knowing i had bulimia ,no medicine would cure my deppresion.
So i was discharged soon after being told there was nothing wrong with me...(I can't even process half a cookie, without it coming straight out of my mouth).
I feel like voiceless, coward ..
Even today my mom thinks i need a reading(quran) done....😧😧😧
Honestly to label the problem a 'Muslim' problem may be an oversimplification. It's mainly to do with culture. Even in the west, mental health is struggling to be awarded legitimacy, and you can't really attach a single religion to 'the west'. Regardless of all of this, mental health is a universal issue, and I think it's great that Dina is helping promote that fact. May Allah reward her for her positive influence on the youth.
Sis I really agree about mental illnesses being such a stigma. So many people are suffering in silenece. Im really sorry about your situation. I also suffered with an eating disorder myself. Alhamdulillah Ive recovered, wasnt easy but it was possible.
Sis feel free to message me if you need anyone to talk to. You dont have to go through it alone. You deserve so much happiness and goodness. You deserve so much more in life x
Dina this way of wrapping your hijab suits your facial structure and looks amazing. It make your cheeks and jaws pop beautifully.
I couldn't believe it was the same woman I'd seen in another video
This video is extremely important for a number of reasons, one being the fact that not only does it address the need to open up the conversation about mental health and reduce its stigma, but it also touches on the issue relative to the muslim community and POC in general. It also highlights the fact that anyone can suffer from a mental illness and have it go undetected for years, and how careless everyday acts can implicitly influence the cognitive processes of those around us, namely our more impressionable youth. Such videos are very important, and having watched you since your first video (literally) and seen the influence you can have, can contribute a great deal to bringing about social change.
Again great video, very interesting watch! x
karimaandco
Girl. Where is that hijab from Mashallah it looks really nice
karimaandco to
One of the thing I love the most about Dina's RUclips channel is going through the comments and seeing so many amazing, strong, beautiful muslim women expressing themselves. I'm a white girl who grew up in a very white, christian community and haven't had the chance to meet a lot of muslim women in my life. I'm so mad at how the medias portray you (if they portray you at all !), especially hijabis, because it is so wrong and faulty. Muslim women are so strong for going through so much shit every day (sexism, islamophobia, racism for a lot of them, some people pressuring you because you are too much covered and others because you aren't covered enough) seriously HOW do you not loose it ?! I'm French and I was so ashamed this summer over the whole burkini situation, I'm so sorry for the humiliations you girls have to go through on a regular basis. So thank you Dina for empowering so many women with your channel !
Whoopsy Nessie oh my god Nessie don't apologise, it isn't your fault at all, but I have to admit that it is true but I think people like you are needed to support others. Thank you so much you really made me smile. I hope your day goes well ❤️❤️
Whoopsy Nessie Gob bless people like you 💕
Whoopsy Nessie you're French and you haven't had the chance to meet lots of muslimas wowwwww last time I was in France I felt like I was in Algeria or morocco u must live in some out of the way town, so interesting actually
When I say meet I mean like getting to know someone, having an actual conversation with them.
Whoopsy Nessie oh ok, and I thought integration in the UK was bad!
the other day, I was feeling particularly sad, and I did my dhuhr prayer, and when I sujud, I cried! I cried for a good minute, and then once I stopped and continued the rest of my prayer. idk why but I needed to write this.
hellolala you're awesome! Blessing and peace to you
hellolala khushoo3 is beautiful
hellolala aww that's so sweet darling I hope you're ok xx
hellolala Allah is there for you, never forget him 💖👍
I consider myself an atheist and a feminist, however as a middle-class white woman I have struggled to find ways to make my feminism more intersectional. Apart from Dina just generally being a lovely, funny and of course extremely stylish woman, that is the main reason I subscribed to her. It's so amazing that we live in a world where it is so easy to access the voices that are misrepresented or completely ignored by western mainstream media and politics. I think that you are making a massive contribution to reduce stigma around Islam and muslim women in particular. You have definitely enlightened me about a lot of things, I have learnt so much watching your videos. They of course stand for themselves, but I believe that they have also made me a better person and a better feminist. And I genuinely want to thank you for letting me listen.
Lizzie Minelly this is so lovely
Lizzie Minelly ignored by western media? are u american lizzie
I think she means that most things you hear in the western media about the Muslim community is negative, and they ignore the positive stories.
@ava lawrence No, I'm German. And I don't mean to just bash Western
media, they are doing an important job and a lot of them are doing it
well. But when it comes to women's issues, women of colour in
particular, I find those voices to hardly be given a chance to speak for
themselves in the media, not to mention in politics. That's a problem
in and of itself, but from my perspective it's also problematic because
it prevents others to access and empathise with their views, you know
what I mean? I don't have anyone in my social circle that I could
discuss these issues with unfortunately, so I am happy that things like
RUclips provide a platform for people that are underrepresented in the public eye to voice their views and others the opportunity to access it in a more or less democratic fashion. And I am grateful to people like Dina that take the time to provide it :)
Cordelia Miller I never felt that way, just a sense of distance, but I am happy you understand my point and you have overcome those reservations :) Have a nice day!
go Dina!!! Empower women, break barriers and just be amazing!!!!
Yes! Break barriers, break taboos! She is an amazing woman
I did notice you talk about your weight alot... But I never understood because I think you're so gorgeous! I think that's why I can't lose weight, I am so conceited. LOL. But seriously, I applaud you for sharing and spreading awareness as many many women and girls suffer from eating disorders.
Your pro pic is GORGEOUS GAL
Zara Star sorry what?? Your saying that to everyone
Dina this hijab style suits u 💯
On point ☝️
Nadiya Nadiya fuck off
Moony Baaby and the pink colors are so beautiful on her mashallah!
That response was a little extreme lol
Moony Baaby ikr and that hoodie from asos
cutezeeHD87 YOUR INSANE 😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳
This speaks to me beyond measure. Thank you for exploring this topic. Something I have struggled with for a long time.
Well Dina you are 100% right about ethnic minorities not talking about mental health like they want to brush it under the carpet!!! Like you will be shamed or looked down upon! Its very real and happening in society but very little awareness ... Sad
Sabiha B I feel that it's more that they don't really recognise this as an issue(idk whats worse)
I did the "military" diet too, though I didn't know that's what it was. Everyday, I'd only eat grapefruit and some tea. Some other fruits here or there. I then went on walks/jogs every night. this lasted for a few months, and I lost SO much weight. it practically fell off me. my mom would compliment me, saying how nice I looked. she knew I was eating practically nothing, yet she encouraged me. I'm lucky that I eventually got happy with my weight and went back to eating normally (I gained back all the weight anyways). If that hadn't happened, I can imagine it would have gotten worse, and I might've gotten a full blown eating disorder.
BIG issues we, minority communities have, are discussing these major issues, sex ed, sexual harassment, mental health/depression. it's really sad and needs to be acknowledged and adressed!
I like how you talked about mental health & Islam. I think this is true for anyone of any faith. As a Christian myself, I feel very stigmatized & judged for mentioning I have depression, anxiety, as well as body image problems/eating disorder tendencies. So many older or more "mature Christians" attribute it to not trusting in God enough, not having enough faith, or simply something wrong with your spirit rather than it being a very real, brain problem. It's very hard to manage mental disorders & faith in God.
as someone who grew up in a christian eritrean family, I relate with this so much. Having any sort of mental issues are seen as a disgrace and unfaithful, and the older generation blame it on your lack of faith. It's incredibly damaging, especially to young girls. Thank you for uploading this a year ago, because it has helped me and so many others. What an incredible woman you are!
Im so glad you talked about this subject on your channel especially for the younger girls, wish i had something like this to watch when i was in my teens
JazakAllah Khair Dina, this is probably the most important video you've ever posted. I agree with the last two main points in our community we really need to be more open. Your story had me in tears because although I haven't suffered with eating disorders, I do understand how it feels to be out of control of your own mind and I know a lot of girls struggle with different escape mechanisms that can be harmful to us in the long run. Thank you for being so open and honest
happy #internationalwomensday dina and to all my fellow females here 🎉💖👑
Dina, this is such an important video to share not only with everyone, but with our Muslim community. Thanks for sharing this, I'm sure this has helped more people than you know!
I've seen a lot of eating disorder videos on RUclips, but I appreciate yours the most because of your honesty and clarity. Some people don't understand how I could actually GAIN weight and binge when I was having my worst body image issues, and the way you talk through things in this video would be a much better explanation of the head space I was in than I could come up with myself! I'm hoping that anyone who is struggling with body image or an eating disorder sees this.
this makeup looks bomb!!! Please do a tutorial for it.
Happy international Women's day
I suffer from panic attacks, the worse thing is I don't know what triggers them. Because of this I never know when I am going to have one. I recently had a panic attack at Uni. I always dread having one in a public places, never mind having one at a place I have to go everyday. It happen in front my all my classmates. Everything, was normal, we were all sitting at our desks and Bam it just hit me. I don't think people understand how incredibly scary it is, it feels like the worlds is closing in around you, your heart is beating incredibly fast and it feels like you can't get enough air into your lungs. I become dizzy and it feel like I have pins and needles every where. What made it worse, and this is absolutely no fault of hers but one of my teacher escorted me out of the room (thank God) into an empty class room, because I was crying hysterically she was trying to comfort me by hugging me and trying to calm me down. One of the things that never helps me is when people touch me, I don't know how it is for anyone else but when I am panicking I already feel claustrophobic, so the very idea of someone trying to touch me adds to my distress. Mind you she didn't know what was happening to me even though I was fully aware but had no power to stop it. It was one of the worse days ever, I never want it to happen again and I pray for others who are in similar predicament. All of my teachers are now aware and know that if I ever have one to just stay with me in a room, and wait for me to ride it out on my own, because it will fade eventually. Which is a good thing. I wish people where more forthcoming with problems that they are dealing with. I wish it wasn't taboo to talk about these kind of subject. It would help a lot of people not feel isolated and alone. I know this is really long winded but I just want to say, Thank you Dina. This video alone will help so many people, although I don't suffer from Bulimia, I know that there are a lot of people that do. It is good that you are using your platform to have an open discussion and dialogue, because you never know, there could be some one out there who needs to be reassured ad be reminded that they are not alone and things could get better. So thank you again Dina, for being brave enough to talk about the issue you have faced and sharing how you have overcome them. xxx
Jasmin hiya, you're so strong for being so positive even thought you have panic attacks. I also had a panic attack at uni and when i had it i never went back and dropped out. I regret the decision but i dont have any ways to cope with it. I now have anxiety and suffer from it on a daily basis so please dont leave ur uni. I had no idea what was going on with me and all I could see was my life falling apart. Im trying to pull myself together and accept it. But obviously it would be so much easier if the people around had knowledge of it, even though they will never understand until they have it themselves. Xxx
Jasmin im sorry to hear about this. You should definitely seek help. Check if your university has a therapist or get a referral for one. Panic attacks are actually one of the easiest pathologies to cure. Good luck :)
Jasmin it's not your fault, society has us all like that you're not alone 💗
Jasmin I have the same thing as you I'm in high school and it is so embarrassing when panicking in front of ur classmates and it just happens so randomly for no reason just know ur not in this alone
HAAMBO I am on the same boat as you, I have panic attacks and taking a psycology class in school has helped me learn about myself and others. It's scary when you feel like your alone. Panic attacks, depression. I have horrible social anxiety... We are strong, we can overcome it. ❤❤❤ thank you for sharing.
your story literally broke my heart!! never in a million years would i have ever thought such a beautiful and bubbly person like yourself went through such a rocky childhood!!!
Dina your hijab looks beautiful in this style!! MashAllah
I love that the comment section if full of women of different religions and colours sharing inspiring stories and being incredibly supportive
Thank you for sharing your story Dina! It really hit home for me. I really feel that its not only the Muslim religion that doesn't like to talk about Mental Health issues. There are several other religions who will shun people or make people "feel" shunned because of their Mental Health issues. Sad truth there. But like you said, if the person you are trusting to help you does nothing or makes you feel ashamed because of how you feel or because of what you are telling them, then they are not the person to trust with that request for help. Find someone else, keep reaching out. You'll eventually find a helping hand and hopefully it'll be sooner rather than later. Again, thank you so much for sharing your story. Love ya!
#HerVoiceIsMyVoice
This is so important. I was clinically diagnosed with depression on my first year of uni and I developed bulimia but because of the stigma around about mental disorders I couldn't discuss my struggles with anyone. I was even encouraged to starve myself to try and lose the weight that I have put on. I was in a very dark place and was going through a continuous cycle of binging and then feeling guilty. I'm not saying that I'm better now but I'm trying to control the urges to binge. Thank you Dina for sharing your struggles with us
I'm glad you talked about your story and also that you mentioned men can have eating disorders. My friend's brother was hospitalised for a period when he was 14 for an ED, and he also used to exercise for hours at a time. It's so important that we talk about these kinds of things so that people know that they can get help if they need it and that they're not alone.
i've dealt with an eating disorder since i was about the age of nine, inshaAllah we can all reach recovery
This video 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 just so good! Thanks for being vulnerable!!
Dina, I literally just submitted my test paper on eating disorders. Like why didn't I see this before?! Cause you explained it so well!
Update: Writing about it in my final essay!
I love your openness and total honesty Dina. You have a good head on those beautiful shoulders😘
Thanks for being so honest and open about your experiences Dina. I really think it will help other people out there experiencing similar issues. I absolutely agree that there needs to be more sex education within the Muslim community. When I was a medical student in Cardiff I was part of the Sexpression organisation at the student union that goes round the Cardiff high schools and teaches sex & relationship education. It was so sad to see all the Muslim kids get taken out the class before we started because their parents would not allow them to be present. And this was only like 1 or 2 years ago. I even read on the Cardiff Muslim primary school website that they are proud they do not have to partake in sex/relationship education as it not required by UK law, it is only optional. Islam teaches us to become educated, and sex & relationship education is so, so important for young people to get correct information and be able to ask embarrassing questions in a safe environment. It also teaches them about boundaries and what is acceptable in a relationship, what it abuse, how to protect against diseases, how their bodies work & change, etc etc. I have thought about maybe setting up some kind of sex & relationship education for girls via the mosque as I know so many of them will have been denied this important education when it is offered at school. There are so many young Muslim people though that this should really be a mainstream thing and not something they can go to as extra outside of school. Plus so many teens may be stopped from having this education by their ignorant or overly conservative parents, but actually do not ever go to or have much to do with the mosque. 😊love your videos 🙏🏼
Nomad314 Really great idea to set up sex education classes for young uslim women, especially classes on a healthy and positive relationship, which is rarely discussed within an British Asian family. It would be great for you to pilot and then perhaps set up a national network through social media etc!
Thankyou for sharing this intimate part of your life you are so empowering you talk so lovingly about receiving help to enable ourselves to lead a fruitful and healthy life where we don't need to live in our heads but see a bright future for each and every woman and man. Accepting help is the first step to saying yes I care about my life enough to take care of myself properly x. Keep up the great work Dina and team x. Your a fantastic role model and very honest x
Wow Dina you look absolutely stunning with this scarf and colour palette, luv u
Dina, this was such a good public service. Thank you for being a frank role model for young people and peers. I'm your age and really appreciate the peer advice and viewpoint!
glad that you made this vlog, its good to see a role model taking about her issues/vulnerabilities. we get so wrapped up in social media and envisioning other peoples lives as being perfect because of that they portray online. its nice to see the human side.
Dina, I love how you're always so authentic, funny and absolutly never in any way fake. You're always so true to yourself and one can see how comfortable you feel in your own skin, no matter what you're talking about, even if it's topics like eating disorders, laxatives, or shi**ing all night :D You're just such a sweet person, strong woman and true inspiration! Don't ever change :)
Hey Dina! Love your videos. You are a truly inspiring and relatable woman! I'm always supporting you. Keep up the great vids!! Xxxxx
Love from an old sub!
when I grew up and became mature and walked such a long journey I finally realized God subhanhu wataela created everyone beautiful in their own way there is nothing wrong with being overweight and we girls are much more than looks and bodies we don't need to be copies of oneanother
wow you are so courages to talk about this. I felt so bad listening to it, people dont know the struggles of others and only think about their own struggles. You're truly great, Masha Allah
I love this calm, informative & honest side of Dina. Really appreciate this video! I could agree more with everything you say, thank you for talking about this, it really needed to be acknowledged.
I love how frank and honest you are and how you use your platform to have conversations with your audience about these kinds of topics.
Dina you're so transparent I love it!
I personally have never dealt with this issue, I don't think I could ever because vomiting is my biggest fear and in your case I've gotten used to not working out lol.
I dealt with depression & the reason why I wanted to comment was to point out your title and how you still claimed this issue over your life by saying "my." I used to do the same about depression, when I finally spoke out to my leader about it & I kept saying "my depression." She then corrected me & helped me realize that. I'm Christian & one thing I've gotten from my leader is to always speak life. Our tongues have the power to speak life or death, so if I'm constantly saying my depression I feel I am still claiming it over myself & not speaking life so I started to practice referring it to just "the depression" & would even go as far as saying "In Jesus name I no longer deal with depression" on the days where I felt the enemy trying to creep thoughts into my head. I no longer battle with depression but because it was something the enemy saw he could use against me he still every once in a great moon tries to creep bad thoughts in my head but because I'm so far past that I can easily catch his evilness. Well anyways I'm sure that you still will be attacked every once in a while because the enemy is relentless & tries to bring in the past to break us & I know you're past it but in a long story haha I wanted to say be careful to how easy it is to claim certain things over ourselves.
Hope that makes sense & you see this because it honestly has helped me overcome depression & I know it will keep me from any other issues in the future.
- Desi (:
Really appreciate this Dina, you've always been bold enough to talk about topics our parents won't understand.. keep it up xxx
Well done Dina for talking about such a personal subject so candidly. I know you'll help loads of Young girls out there. Because we all go through our own battles with body imagine. It's important not to ignore it.
You look stunning, Dina! Mashallah!
I have battled my eating disorder since I was 13, and I'm 22 now. I have exercise bulimia but some anorexic tendencies. I'm in the Army National Guard , so having exercise bulimia is easy to cover up since we have to stay in shape anyways. But I go through periods where I will eat next to nothing for days or weeks at a time. This has been such a tough thing and knowing that someone who I watch all the time on RUclips, and look up to has battled it too makes me feel like I'm not alone in my fight to get healthier. Thank you so much for such an amazing video.
I always thought you are one of the lucky ones to have such a good body working in fashion and photo shooting. You have a great sense of fashion btw i'm not Muslim but seeing how you dress makes me want to dress like you. Everyone has their stories. I also did the laxative thing when I was younger haha I am 30 yo now, and yes 'food thoughts' is always there but in a rational way nowadays. Thanks for sharing, its an eye-opener for all woman!
the number 1 thing i love about you dina is your confidence .. i will love to be confident like you one day .. thanks for all your inspiring videos ♥
Dina, telling us the details of your journey is so so brave. Thank you, you have no idea how deeply home this hit. Much love
Dina, Thank you SO MUCH for sharing more about your experience with an ED! You are helping remove the stigma from mental health issues! Keep up the great work my beautiful sister. Love always,
Holly
thank you Dina , I watched the whole video and I am grateful that you decided to speak on this topic and raise awareness I hope others who are going through the same thing do not feel alone and that they seek help as you said, thank you again and I wish you and your family all the best :)
It's so amazing you talk about this topic. Especially since in the Muslim community it seems to be even more a taboo thing than for non Muslims. (As a revert I'm experiencing both sides.)
I totally can relate to your story. My eating disorders (Anorexia and Bulimia) started when I was 16, and now at 26 I'm still caught in that sh*t. There are a munch of other mental illnesses I've been struggling with since I was 14/15/16 until now.
I reverted to Islam when I was 17 and well, if I got 1 Euro for everytime someone told me "Mental Illnesses are caused by low iman or by being possessed by jinns or by ayn or sihr. Pray more, read the Qur'an, listen to Qur'an recitations, make Du'a, get Ruqya done to you... You don't need psychiatrists or psychologists. You don't need antidepressants and such things."
It just sucks to not be taken seriously, to be looked down onto and being told you're a bad Muslim. As if illnesses like eating disorders or depression don't already make you feel like a complete failure...
And I mean nobody would tell a person with cancer or broken bones "You don't need a doctor. You don't need medication. Just pray and everything will be fine. All you have to do is trust Allah to heal you."
But didn't Allah give us the knowledge to learn about these illnesses and how to treat them?
Desiree Higgs Yeah, sometimes I come across YT videos of people saying "I was alcoholic, but once I reverted I was cured" or "I was severely depressed and suicidal, but reverting to Islam erased these problems" and something like that about eating disorders too.
And it gave me 2 different reactions: 1. An addiction/severe illness doesn't just disappear from a day to the next.
2. Why didn't that happen to me? Am I such a bad Muslimah? What did I do wrong what they obviously did right?
(That led to feeling more depressed, mor eating disordered behaviour, more suicidal thoughts and generally feeling even more worthless.)
So I think statements like those can be quite dangerous.
Samiya Muslim
This is very powerful, very courageous and I'm sure must have been difficult to do.. you explain and discuss complex issues very clearly and engagingly. Much respect.
I love how you are so real and authentic. This video is 30 minutes long and I didn't even realise because I was drawn in by you. You are a true inspiration to a lot of hijabis, especially where I am from, South Africa. You have really been blessed with the ability to positively influence muslim women. May Allah (swt) bless you and your family and may there be a lot blessings for every single person (male and female), who benefit from this video. Ameen x
love you xxx
I appreciate you opening up! The community needs to be more open about these topics in shaa Allah. And I would love to see more of these types of videos from you as well!
A couple of hours ago, I tried to make myself throw up because I went to my psychiatrist and weighed in ten pounds heavier than last time. So I got home after band practice, went upstairs and tried to hurl. I didn't work and I wanted to cry, but now I scrolled through my subscription box and saw this video and immediately clicked on it. I'm taking it as a sign that I shouldn't start something that will hurt me in the long run
Honestly my favorite video of yours! I love watching you like this as if were having a one on one conversation. God bless you and congrats on fighting this disorder. You're so strong!
Thank you Dina for making this video. We have very similar issues in Caribbean culture and the church. The older generations are not willing to talk things through or take these issues seriously & religious views make youths feel guilty for speaking up. Mental health is a topic that we all need to discuss more!
dina, thank you for sharing this i think its so important to talk about this stuff their are so many cases of people who suffer from these illnesses and are afraid to speak up ! you are so beautiful thank you for your words xox
Omg I had no idea you were Egyptian - in half Egyptian , quarter Irish, quarter Indian! Love you and watch you loads! So inspiring!
Oh my gosh Dina, I totally get you. I am currently in my mid teens and I am actually experienceing everything you were experiencing (the way you style your scarf to look slimmer, insecure about you body even if you werent that fat and also eating continuously but still being skinny and also the chocolate thing).
I honestly thought I was the only one.
P.S thank you so much for being such an inspiring human being
i am severly mentally ill. my diagnoses are Bulimia, Borderline Personality Disorder, Major Depression, Social Anxiety, Addiction & OCD. I'm wishing all the ones here which struggle like i do struggle..all the best.
I Hope that you are fine now❤️
I was late for work and when my boss asked me why I couldn't lie. my answer was simple, I was watching Dina Tokio. it's the truth! while having my coffee,some Dina just seals the deal 💯🙏
I'm glad that Dina no longer suffers from this condition. The notion that people with mental health issues are weak is completely detrimental and soul-crushing to the sufferers themselves and to the society as a whole. Sadly many other cultural communities share this belief.
When you really look at the world around us, you see we are constantly influenced by hundreds of overwhelming messages about how you should behave, think, feel and look. As Albert Einstein once said, if you make a fish climb a tree then you make them feel worthless. Each human was designed in a way that cannot be duplicated, even if you tried a million times.
I'm happy to see Dina overcome her illness and share her experience with her viewers. She is part of a force that is pushing back on any means that can induce low self-esteem and even self-hatred. No one should ever feel ashamed of the body they were born with, and Dina is living proof.
Everything you said about how you view your body, how you binge, the laxatives everything. I relate 100% and I'm so glad you made this video because I thought I was the only one feeling these exact thoughts. Thank you for sharing your story Dina.
Really happy u talked about this disorder, im overweight, im 5'3 and weigh 150lbs, actually im pregnant too but before being pregnant i was around 145lbs, i put on this much weight in 3 yrs, before that i was mostly around 125lbs, and in these 3 yrs i have thought of getting over the laxatives sooo many times, but someone always stopped myself that no ill just eat healthy and exercise but wasnt able to do that either, now im pregnant and scared to death that how much weight am i gonna put on now.so i have started to exercise now, and i had planned to use laxatives after i had my baby. But seeing this now, ill just breast feed and try to exercise. Thank you ❤️
I am blessed to not struggle with eating disorders and my attempt at using a laxative (I'm dehydrated thus constipated) clashed with my bipolar meds and anxiety so I had terrible gastric pains. NEVER AGAIN. Thank you for coming out and possibly saving many girls, boys and children's lives. Eating disorders affect more than just skinny or curvy people, so many experience these illnesses in silence.
You are an incredibly articulate lady who is extremely brave. I'm a recovering alcoholic and WHO classifies alcoholism, eating disorders and compulsive gambling together. None contain a truly addictive substance but we use our addiction to feel better about ourselves.
Today I work as a disability advisor often supporting people around their benefits. Without breaking any confidentially through my work I've been fortunate enough to meet many people affected by eating disorders. I say fortunate because, although they all had horrendous stories, they were wonderful open people, much like yourself.
With alcoholism we all know the health risks but people, in my experience, are quite ignorant of the damage eating disorders cause. From damaged teeth all the way through to bone, kidney, liver and or heart damage. I think the only one most people know is the damage to the menstrual cycle, which in my limited experience some ladies see benefit in this. This is obviously hearsay, but it is first hand hearsay. This is a subject that needs to be spoken about within all cultures, genders, socioeconomic groups and ages. But so does the causes, especially body image. It's easy for me as a 56 year old man to say true beauty comes from within, but try telling someone in the mid teens this.
Up to now I wasn't a subscriber to your channel and I came to this video as a recommendation. I'm ever so grateful it did because you have given me even more insight in to this condition. I totally believe the levels of pills etc. as this element of your story fits in with others I've heard. Brilliant video and I know why you have such a massive amount of subscribers.
Girl all your outfits are so cute! I love your style I need you to make a clothing line soon
I'm glad you've god through this Dina
Wow, lots of this story was heartbreaking to hear and I'm so glad that you're putting your willpower into better things than hurting yourself. Thank you for sharing your story!
I honestly had no idea that this issue even existed. It was nice to hear you talk about, thanks for this Dina
this is very insightful, i always thought you were naturally slim and didn't like food, great that you speak up on such issues and i also love that you contribute to creating awareness of certain issues by responding to mails with sid.
Dina, you are such an inspiration! I suffered from being bulimic for 7 years, and have been in the clear for the last 10 years. Until I watched your video, I hadn't realized that I still do binge eat! There is no such thing as eating in moderation in my mind! As a consequence, I still suffer from weight issues and not feeling comfortable in my skin- though, I have come a long way from where I was! Thank you so much for helping me realize that I need to change my thoughts about food! In a sense, I haven't really beaten the eating disorder like I thought I had! New goal for 2017, to eat healthy and to eat in moderation! God bless you! You are beautiful!
Beautifully worded ♡♡♡ Love your open and honest approach. These are really important issues that we need to start tackling in our communities. You go girl!!!
Totally agree with you Dina about the need for more communication about eating disorders and mental health. These issues are so common when you start to scratch the surface. I don't know if there actually is much stigma surrounding these issues, but I feel like there is stigma even if that's just my perception.
BRUH WHERES YOUR JACKET FROM
It's from Asos. www.asos.com/au/asos/asos-premium-jacquard-hoodie-co-ord/prd/7034824?iid=7034824&clr=Floral&SearchQuery=jacquard%20hoodie&pgesize=2&pge=0&totalstyles=2&gridsize=3&gridrow=1&gridcolumn=1
I have so much respect for you for sharing this. It will help to destigmatise eating disorders, especially in the muslim community. You will help so many people with this video. Proud of you MA!
I've felt depressed for a while alongside having anxiety and the combo of both is horrible, I've dealt with them since I was 16 and now I'm 19 and only recently I feel I understand it more. As a Muslim it's hard to approach these issues so I repressed them for a while and didn't attach any sort of label. I still struggle with my self image everyday and I still find it hard to love the person I am as well as still having bad thoughts but I am concentrating more on finding peace through Allah (swt) with external help. I have experienced bad stuff in my childhood and although I still have to come to terms with this...I have a slightly improved support system. Alhamdulillah I can say I haven't had an eating disorder as such but I have starved myself on and off a few times but I wouldn't necessarily call it a massively worrying situation. Moral of the story; it still affects me a lot but Insha'Allah I'll be improving myself the healthy way and have a better view of myself but the depression and anxiety still very much affects me but I can control it a little better...
And yeah, suicide and self harm is something I'm way too familiar with but I have faith in Allah (swt) and trust to protect me etc so I feel in more control.
Being Muslim and suffering these things is definitely something that is less talked about but it definitely doesn't mean it doesn't exist and keeping quiet about it/suffering in silence can make matters worse, may Allah bless us all with strength to get through this test of society and images and stereotypes. Even to the non-Muslims by the way. Ameen❤
Amarah Mariah hey! If you aren't already, please consider seeing a gp to get access to therapy! When I was your age (I'm 22 now), I had similar struggles and since I didn't get help til now, it's catching up to me now and it's harder than ever. I would hate for anyone else to go through that so please consider! I hope you can see the light in this dark time
Your struggle will inspire others. I'm also in recovery from an eating disorder and it's a lifetime journey. God reward you.
Omg ive been searching for a longg time for a muslima that wants to openly talk about ed and your the best one❤️❤️ Thankyou so much your such an amazing person ! Love you dina😍
I agree with you!! Sex education is VERY important, & it's so ridiculous how taboo that subject is. Also with mental health, it is a very serious issue that MANY people suffer from. I pray & hope our future generations will not make these issues so tabboo & normalize it
I literally can relate to every single thing you said from being that young. It's insane what we can convince ourselves of.
Omg I love this hijab style. You look extra beautiful in this video😍
Gurrrrl, this was such an open, honest video - thank you.
Also, scrolling through the comments, it's amazing to see you reaching people from all walks of life - all different colours, castes, creed, faiths. That's amazing, honestly. Well done for being you! 💃 xx
First of all, I want to say that I'm so glad that you are feeling better now, and I really hope that you are able to improve even more. Also, I think you are doing a very important work here because, as you said, these topics do not get talked about a lot and they are so important. Better education could literally save lives! So I hope we all as a society improve in these aspects as well.
Huge praise for sharing this Dina, it's really inspiring and I know it's not easy to share such a personal issue x
Dina, this was extremely brave of you to open up like this. I also must say that you are awesome for mentioning that before anything else, we are in fact all human and all suffer with the same afflictions regardless of our religions.
you remind me so much of myself I've been suffering since i was 16 and now im 19 and Egyptian too, so glad you're fine now and thank u for ur honesty love u so much
I'm so glad you've had the strength to speak about it, Dina! We need to start speaking about the things that our communities are always so afraid to speak out about 💕 unfortunately our older generations don't understand that these are actually serious situations and sicknesses!
Dina - this video was amazing and necessary. Thank you so much for doing it!
I understand your pain Dina. I'm indian and I think in asian communities people don't talk abt mental health, food disorders. The whole view on mental disorders and food disorder is weird. Like people saying you need to eat. Eat more is great. Like my brotger was 5/6yr old I was 10yrs old . So aunties would say to my mum n me, my bro. Oh you feed your daughter like she is punjabi healthy. Too the point that you focus more on her. But your son is so skinny basically saying he is anroxic. Then i'd feel self conscious abt being fat n my bro felt un boyish cx he is suppose to be big.
Asees Hera Trust me I relate to this so much... the thing is , Honestly , people in communities like ours are SHIT they have something or the other to say to us. They are going to keep commenting on us regardless of whatever type of person we are... the only solution to this is to flipping shove their damn opinions aside, love ourselves and spread positivity 💜
Pastelle Dreams I know I don't care anymore. When I was wee my mum would have to reassure me.Another thing was my mum height 5ft . So due to the bloody aunties I use to also think will I go tall? We sibling had a late growth spurt. It was funny really my mum would reassure me and i'd reassure my bro.
Bitch u cares about ur indian asian heritage! Dina is half white half arab
Sandra Mike I said because I was stating a example. Now a days you can't tell by name. Also I was talking abt asian community as Dina did. Thanks for being so rude.
thank you so extremely much for sharing this dina. you are the change i hope to see in the world.
You are so brave to speak so candidly to the world about such a painful and intimate topic. I hope that this video helps a lot of people and that your courage allows others to be courageous. Thank you.