What worsens a refugee's mental health?
Several aspects of a refugee's experience negatively impacts mental health, including:
- prolonged detention or stay in a refugee camp
- insecure immigration status
- limitations in work and education
- poverty
- social isolation
- being retraumatized telling their story over and over for asylum or resettlement
Refugee voices on mental health
Alex · Nigeria
Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Refugees often do not have access to trauma informed or culturally competent therapists. There are also other barriers to accessing services, including:
- language differences
- fear of a diagnosis impacting employment
- cultural norms surrounding silence and not seeking help