Refugee WellbeingMental Health & Addictions

Shah Wali AtayeeMaureen ZayaNeelam Jani

A refugee is someone who has been forced to flee his or her country because of persecution, war, or violence. A refugee has a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group. Most likely, they cannot return home or are afraid to do so. War and ethnic, tribal and religious violence are leading causes of refugees fleeing their countries.

UNHCR, convention of 1951

Refugee mental health backgroundwho is a refugee....?

In NZ, we follow a three stage settlement strategy

refugee camp independent living to becoming part of our communities

Resettlement strategies in NZ

ResettlementRefugees

In NZ1.Arrival 2.Building a new

life

3 Building new communities

needing more assistance -transition into a new life in a foreign country

Besides physical ailments resulting in their homeland,

mental illnesses that follow, range from depression to more serious ailments

Vulnerable population

What refugee people are experiencing?Torture and Trauma Experiences • physical and psychological•witnessing death or killing• disappearance of family members

Mental health issues in children and young people

Common mental health conditions sleep problem, depression, feeling anxious, sad and angry

Experiencing loss and grief

New homeland stress of adapting to beliefs & values of host nation

Socioeconomic disempowerment due to• inadequate financial resources • limited social class standing•encountering race related issues

Consequences eating disorders /panic attacks

poor memory/ behavioral responsespoor relationships with other peoplechildren refusing to go to school

Physical symptoms, like breathing difficulties, pain & dizziness tensionPoor concentrationNightmares /Anger and poor temper controlFamily violenceEmotional pain

Social stigma Unfamiliarity with western medicine Health care-provider relationships Different health systems (counseling) Access to services Culture Language/interpreter Immigration or settlement issues Family member left behind and trying to

bring him to NZ

CHALLENGES

• Don’t talk about mental illness /Feelings of shame• Not feeling confident to talk to health provider especially

when using interpreter from the same ethnic group• People don’t know about depression, stress and panic attacks• People don’t have a definition for depression in their language• Religion based treatments –prayers in

churches/mosques/temples/ancestral graveyards• Using some natural medicine like herbs to treat the sickness

Self medication

Cultural perceptions of mental health

Self medication will lead to substance dependence

• Tobacco use, smoking• Caffeine use• Drugs and alcohol• Gambling• Religious

Addictions

Early interventionImprove accessibility for mental health

treatment Concerns for misdiagnosis Awareness of cultural practices influencing their coping choicessocial & economic differencesaccess to interpreters

Measures for possible improvements

Many ways to say “thank you”.