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Psychotherapy | 3 min read | 2024-09-30 | 52 Views

The mental health crisis: Refugees

By 2019, Canada became one of the top 26 countries for refugee resettlement. In 2022, the country hosted 140,621 refugees, an 8.07% increase from previous years. While Canada offers new opportunities, refugees face significant mental health challenges, a topic not widely explored in research. Studies show that experiences of violence and displacement lead to severe psychological distress, including depression and suicidal thoughts. For example, 78% of refugees in Malawi’s Dzaleka Refugee Camp reported severe depression. As the global refugee crisis grows, Canada must adopt a holistic mental health approach, focusing on wellness, resilience, and long-term support for refugees. This requires shifting from treating only war-related trauma to addressing the full range of refugees' mental health needs.

Nazca Health Post

By 2019 Canada has become one of the 26th countries with most refugees as they provided a unique opportunity for resettlement1. This past 2022, Canada is home to 140 621 refugees, which shows an increase of 8.07% compared to previous years. 

With a new life in a new country, definitely challenges will arise. However, not much literature has focused on the mental health strain refugees undergo after leaving their homes and starting their lives elsewhere. 

Some research has recognized the vulnerability of refugees for mental health2. With escalating wars and continuous mass displacement, there is a call for immediate help and further improvement in metal health programs to aid refugees. For instance, a study on Syrian refugees portrays how the experience of heavily violent related experiences added to the stress of displacement develops into psychological distress including a wide range of cognitive, social, emotional and physical problems3. 

Moreover, another study focusing on refugees living in the Dzaleka Refugee Camp Malawi 78% of the individuals were undergoing severe depression while 53% were having suicidal thoughts. Even so, 25.2% had already made suicidal plans due to the extreme conditions they underwent and the violence surrounding their lives4. 

Overall, the world is undergoing a refugee crisis. This requires not just physicians, but researchers and policymakers, to understand the magnitude of psychological distress caused by displacement. In addition, a different approach towards metal health aid programs must be taken into consideration. It is common to treat refugees for physiological disturbances referencing war and violence only. However, this model fails to capture the totality and vulnerability of the refugees’ experience5.

 Canada’s mental health response for incoming refugees should focus on fostering people’s wellness and respecting their resilience5. A recovery and wellness approach must be implemented in order to develop an accessible service that will be effective in the long run and decrease the likelihood of lifelong mental health distress.







references

  1. UNHCR. (2024, January 2). Global Refugee Statistics. UNHCR Canada. https://www.unhcr.ca/in-canada/refugee-statistics/ 
  2. Lindert, J., Carta, M. G., Schäfer, I., & Mollica, R. F. (2016). Refugees mental health-A public mental health challenge. European Journal of Public Health, 26(3), 374–375. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckw010
  3. Baarnhielm, S. (2016). Refugees’ mental health-a call for a public health approach with focus on resilience and cultural sensitivity. European Journal of Public Health, 26(3), 375–376. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckw055
  4. Damiano, R. F., Borges, S. A. M., Jarreta, R. L., Pereira, R. A. R., & Lucchetti, G. (2022). It is time to think about refugees’ mental health: The case of Dzaleka Refugee Camp - Malawi. Psychiatry Research, 317, 114783–114783. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2022.114783
  5. Agic, B., McKenzie, K., Tuck, A., & Antwi, M. (2016). Supporting the mental health of refugees to Canada. Mental Health Commission of Canada.



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