Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from Afghanistan since the withdrawal of US troops and the Taliban takeover. Many of those people are refugees and asylum-seekers fleeing the country, in the hope of finding safety for themselves and their families. A focus on helping refugees and asylum seekers as well as a means to helping with immigrant mental health is as important now, as it has ever been.
Dozens of Afghani refugees will call Jacksonville home. At least 150 are coming in cooperation with Catholic Charities Jacksonville, and Lutheran Social Services is anticipating an increase in the number of people they resettle in Jacksonville as well.
The American Psychiatric Association says these refugees and asylum-seekers are at a higher risk of developing mental health disorders, including depression and posttraumatic stress disorder. Welcoming them into America must include acknowledging those challenges.
Mental Health and Refugees
There are many physical hurdles that a refugee or asylum-seeker must jump to settle into their new home- not the least of which is finding that physical home. Along with that comes gaining education and employment, acquiring necessities, navigating legal processes, and learning another country’s customs and language.
Immigrant mental health issues can all compounded by the mental and emotional challenges- fear for their family’s safety in the US and for those who remain in Afghanistan, uncertainty about what the future will bring, feelings of isolation and loneliness, fear of discrimination, and much more. They are also likely struggling with the lasting effects of cumulative trauma that come with living in a war torn area.
Despite this, the APA says many refugees and asylum-seekers will not receive mental health care because of a lack of available services and the stigma around mental health disorders. They say many will overcome these mental health challenges with time, once they’re more removed from the traumatic relocation experience. Some, however, will develop chronic conditions.
Diagnosing Mental Health of Refugees and Asylum Seekers
It can sometimes be difficult to diagnose mental health disorders in refugees and asylum-seekers, especially where English is not their first language. Not only can language differences create a barrier in connecting with a person, but some diagnoses understood in American culture- like anxiety or depression- may not be understood in other cultures. Poor “mental health literacy” may mean that a refugee focuses on physical symptoms like insomnia or stomach aches, without recognizing the underlying mental health strain.
The miscue sometimes happens at the clinical level. A mental health professional may carry some of their own biases that prevent them from seeing past certain beliefs. For example, if they believe a culture is more socially reserved, they may fail to probe an introverted patient, whose reserve is actually masking depression.
How To Help: Refugee Support Organizations
If you are a refugee struggling with mental health, know that help is available. The APA says talking about a traumatic experience can help, and the Jax Therapy Network has a searchable database of licensed mental health professionals in the Jacksonville area. These therapists and counselors specialize in everything from depression and anxiety to cultural oppression and grief. Finding culturally competent care is key, so that you feel respected and heard.
24-hour resources are also available, including the National Suicide Lifeline, at 800-273-8255.
It’s also important to connect with family, friends, and other people who can help you celebrate your identity and culture, and offer a safe space for you to gradually adjust.
If you want to support refugees, help create that safe space. Ask the refugee or asylum-seeker to cook a meal from their home, help them learn different American customs, connect them with social supports.
For supporters, remember overcoming the stigma of mental health treatment can be an immense challenge, so don’t wait for the person to ask for help. Offer it.
Ready to find your therapist? Search the Jax Therapy Network and find help with mental health of refugees and asylum seekers near you with therapy from professional therapists and mental health counseling support.
