Mental health articles

The mental health of refugees
There are many reasons why the mental health of refugees may suffer:
• Grief and mourning. The loss of all personal belongings, including the family home, and income is a terrible blow to people, particularly those who are already poor. Grief is made worse by the senselessness of the events.
• Being exposed to horrific violence. Many refugees will have
witnessed or suffered terrible experiences.
• Physical injury and illness. These may well have consequences for mental health.
• Living in an environment with no community networks. Refugee
camps are often sad places, with overcrowding and poor
sanitation. People from different communities may find themselves living together.

Most refugees will learn to cope with the stress. They will find ways of seeking support from others and keeping themselves occupied. However, you should be aware that signs of mental
disturbance can be expected in some people. The commonest mental illnesses are depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Typically, the person may complain of sleep difficulties, nightmares, feeling scared, tiredness, losing interest in daily activities and feeling
suicidal. Less often, some people may become very disturbed, talking irrationally and behaving in an odd manner. These people may need to be cared for in a medical facility.

Tags: Health, mental, Mental health, refugees