Mental Health Consequences of Displacement and Refugee Crises

Introduction:

The refugees, people who have encountered forced displacement, face huge mental trauma as a result of the bitter experiences and torture they encounter while being displaced or made refugees. Such events do occur quite normally in countries that engage in internal and external fights. Moreover, natural calamities, political and regional conflicts, and violations of human rights, mental trauma, forced migration worsen the conditions of such vulnerable groups. Hence, global health communities should join hands together and intervene at the right time by providing equal opportunities and services to the affected individuals, thereby contributing to better mental health and overall well-being outcomes. Therefore, understanding and addressing the mental health concerns of forcibly displaced persons within and across ecological systems should be a top global priority.

What Are the Conditions That Affect the Overall Mental Wellbeing of Forcibly Displaced Individuals and Refugees?

Various factors contribute to the prevailing mental health disorders among the refugees and the displaced individuals, including:

• Separation from the family.

• Lack of food and shelter.

• Malnutrition.

• Infectious diseases.

• Unexpected exposure to environmental toxins.

• Disruption of vaccination schedules.

• Disruption of education facilities.

What Are the Mental Health Consequences Suffered by the Forcibly Displaced Individuals and the Refugees?

• WHO (World Health Organization) defines mental health as “a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and can contribute to his or her community."

• Displaced people and refugees often fall prey to conflicts, persecution, violence, trauma, exploitation, and sexual assault and face violations of the rules that protect them. They are at increased risk of developing mental health challenges.

• Mental health consequences in such groups are variable, ranging from mild to moderate anxiety and depression issues to severe mental disorders like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

What Is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?

• American Psychiatric Association (APA) defines Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as a psychiatric disorder in which patients experience a major traumatic event in their lives, like natural disasters, accidents, terrorist attacks, war, rape, or any other kind of violent personal assault.

• The patient tends to become impulsive and horrified with outbursting emotions like fear, hopelessness, and irritability in case of threatened physical integrity.

• The patient suffering from PTSD encounters recurrent, distressing memories or flashbacks of the traumatic event and is also accompanied by symptoms like the following.

1. Fear.

2. Anxiety.

3. Difficulty sleeping.

4. Lack of concentration.

5. Staying in isolation.

6. Irritability.

7. Anger outbursts.

8. Impaired cognitive function.

9. Emotional instability.

10. Hopelessness.

11. Increased heart rate.

12. Depression.

13. Indulging in substance abuse disorder.

• Treatment options such as trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy or eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) are helpful for PTSD patients.

• Psychological treatments also aid in reducing symptoms of PTSD.

• Counseling, pharmacotherapies, psychotherapy, and psychosocial management options need to be included in the policy-making of various preventive and outreach programs as a part of community health initiatives.

What Are the Strategies to Address the Mental Health Consequences of Displaced Individuals and Refugees?

The overall well-being and health of refugees and forcibly displaced people are neglected, and they are not provided with the required services. Mental health issues are highly prevalent among such groups as they commonly encounter torture, language barriers, traumatic experiences, and postmigration challenges. Various evidence-based protocols have been initiated to cater to the needs of the affected individuals, which include:

• Mind-body interventions serve as the first line of treatment for both young and old.

• It is one of the preventive measures that is helpful in less severe cases, which do not require complex interventions and also can be used as an adjunct to more complex treatment plans.

• Mind-body and exercise-based approaches help the refugees deal with their unstable emotions, which, if left untreated, can lead to depression, anxiety, and PTSD and also affect posttraumatic growth.

• The physiotherapy mode of treatment aids the medical line of treatment and psychotherapy.

• Physiotherapy provides the benefit of increased mobility of the joints, strengthening, pain management, relaxation, gait training, endurance, and balance, which help the patient to soothe their moods and aid them in getting rid of agitated behavior.

• Deep breathing, stretching, walking, running, aerobic exercises, swimming, and relaxation exercises are very helpful for patients in getting rid of substance use disorder and gynecological issues.

• Legally, the host government authorities should devise legal policies that encourage the refugees to get access to affordable health facilities and safe housing, thereby preventing the people from encountering post-migration difficulties.

• Also, these policies safeguard vulnerable children from physical and mental trauma, assault, child labor, and child marriages.

• Actions need to be taken to raise funds as improper funding ends up with refugees in places that do not have safe and adequate housing facilities and are more prone to violence and traumatic experiences.

• Implement budgets for funding the treatment of mental health problems of refugees and displaced individuals.

• Easy access to free mental health care services to the refugees and provide them with timely medical care to prevent further complications.

• It is the need of the hour to develop an adequate, holistic, interprofessional collaborative approach to eliminate the correlations between increasing cases of musculoskeletal conditions, chronic diseases, increased pain episodes, and mental health issues.

Conclusion:

When host countries devise strategies to strengthen the resources to cater to the needs of the refugees, the post-traumatic consequences can be prevented to a great extent. Hence, they can reduce the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and other mental disorders. The public health sectors across the globe not only emphasize creating awareness but also provide preventive and treatment facilities to reduce the mental health issues among the affected and thus reduce the economic burden. Realizing and responding to the needs of mental health concerns of forcibly displaced persons and refugees should remain the top priority across the globe.