Post Traumatic Stress Disorders In Refugees

A traumatic event affects many people in various ways. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a globally recognized disorder that is common among persons who have experienced traumatic events, but is also known as a normal response by normal persons in abnormal situations. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder can be caused by a multitude of reasons, not just from traumatic events. People with various personality traits can be associated with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. People who suffer from poor health can also be associated with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. People who suffer various life occurrences such as rape, natural disasters,

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When relocating to a new country, a refugee must get used to a new culture while suppressing their own. Not to mention, they have to live knowing that they left their family and friends behind in a dangerous environment. They are stuck with the burden of not knowing whether or not their relatives are still alive. Having to live day after day with these weights on your shoulder would be a detriment to anyone’s emotional health. In the documentary, God Grew Tired of Us, John Dau, a Syrian refugee came to America where he was able to live in an apartment, get a job, and receive an education. He went from living outdoors with no idea of what tomorrow will bring, to living in an air conditioned apartment with a chance to build a future, yet Dau still wasn’t happy. He found himself missing his homeland and the friends and family he had left behind. Refugees face a multitude of emotional stress when starting their new lives, everything has changed for them and sometimes it can be too much to handle. Knowing they left vulnerable loved ones behind, while they get to start anew can make it hard to enjoy their chance at happiness. Along with the distress that comes with being on your own, the different customs and societal values can be difficult on a refugee. They may need to abandon old traditions or even hide a part of their identity that wouldn’t be seen as “normal” in their new location. A constant sense of loneliness along with living in a new area where you don’t quite fit in can be emotionally stressful for

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can produce emotional responses caused by the trauma endured during combat operations. It does not have to emerge immediately, but can actually happen weeks, months, or even years after the traumatic event. PTSD was often referred to as “combat fatigue” or “shell shock” until 1980 when it was given the name post-traumatic stress disorder. According to

Refugees are people who crossed borders, fleeing due to problems related to race religion and nationality. While fleeing, refugees unknowingly carry many diseases due to lack of mental help and attention. When coming to a new country, refugees have no self-esteem to get jobs due to the language barrier. Refugees who flee their country and sacrifice everything are confident and strong willed with all the obstacles that come through their journey to start a new life. The long-term effects that a refugee experiences due to forced migration is Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression. Forced migration has a negative mental and physical affect on refugees.

Intro: Refugees face a far worse life than most people can imagine, and there is no easy way out for them. They first must get out of whatever dangerous place they are in, then travel long distances with almost no resources, and even if they do make it safely to the USA there is a chance they will be sent back or even put in jail. The refugee experience is defined by risks and belonging.

“Doesn’t the world see the suffering of the millions of refugees of Palestinians who have been living in exile around the world or in refugee camps for the past 60 years? No state, no home, no identity, no right to work. Doesn’t the world see this injustice?” (Ismail Haniyeh). This is how many of the universal refugees feel. There are millions of refugees all over the world in similar situations. This is also similar to how Ha feels in the book “Inside Out and Back Again.” Ha’s life mirrors the universal refugee experience because many lives are turned inside out, they have to get used to their new living arrangements, and they have to adapt to a new world.

According to SIM, various social determinants of health can dictate the presentation and severity of the patient’s illness. The main challenge in delivering effective care of refugee mental health is the complexity and the multi-factorial nature of their suffering. A refugee is identified as someone who was forced to flee his or her country due to traumatic factors such as war, persecution, violence and racism (Moussalli M., 1992). The exposure to these factors instills an overwhelming feeling of fear, submissiveness and vulnerability. As a result, refugees can be at a higher risk of developing debilitating psychological conditions such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety (McKenzie et al., 2010). On the other hand,

Longitudinal research regarding war-related PTSD has been mainly directed on refugees and war veterans in Western countries. Studies on refugee pattern have take in consideration time frameworks of up to 3 years after accomoditation and resettlement, used a diversity of measures to evaluate symptoms, indications and diagnosis, and provided inconsistent and contrdictory findings. Some of studies have reported a gradual reduction in PTSD symptoms over time like Hauff & Vaglum , or Drozdek , also Weine et al. and Mollica et al. . For example, in a refugee camp in Croatia, 77% of Bosnian refugees with PTSD, had the disorder no longer than 3 years later. Other studies showned that PTSD symptoms and

America needs to work to remove the stereotype associated with refugees in order to get them the help they need and deserve. According to Psychology Today, in the 21st century, the number of terrorism related deaths that refugees were responsible for is 0. Moreover, research shows that highly

The battles that go on between countries of the world are not just left on the grounds in which they were fought. The trauma of everyday exposure to the elements of war has created a lasting and often debilitating disorder for many veterans. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD has been a recurrent result of war leaving many survivors with prolonged physical, mental and emotional distress. Veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have experienced daily stressful situations including bombings, combat fire, and injuries. For those that make it home, PTSD is a common development of these stresses. Those who develop this disorder may experience relentless sleep disturbances, triggers, and recurring “flashback” or vivid memory recollections

There have been correlations on the health of refugee arrivals and other migrants from developing countries. Having transitioned from camps for eighteen months, the family is at risk of developing or already having infectious diseases. The youngest child in the family being born on camp and in such harsh conditions, it is not rare that the child could have been in contact with a communicable disease. As a result of the social exclusion the family is facing, they are unable to be provided with efficient use of the heath resources that are available to other members of the community. Due to the stressful process of language and social difficulties, research suggests that whilst many migrants arrive in Australia with good health, their mental health tends to deteriorate after the first twelve months in the country (Anikeeva, Peng, Hiller, Roder & Han 2010). In Australia, approximately 93% of the population born overseas have been recorded as suicide deaths (Australia Bureau of Statistics (2012). Like any other refugee family, the Hakimi family will also have to overcome the health challenges they will face whilst settling into a new

Veterans make up 7.3 percent of living Americans or about 22 million individuals and .4 percent are currently active duty according to Veteran Affairs data(2014). 3.9 million are current day veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom/ Enduring Freedom. Veterans are a minority within our country but have a much higher prevalence for substance abuse disorder and post traumatic stress disorder.

Twenty veterans a day take their own lives in this nation. Suicide among military veterans is a tragic epidemic in our country. Out of every 100,00 veterans, 3.53% commit suicide; however, for every 100,000 civilian adults only 1.52% take that same drastic action (Thompson). A man by the name of Peter Kaisen from Islip, NY was denied treatment at the Northport VA for mental health issues. He was upset that he was turned away for treatment so he went directly to his car outside the VA and shot himself in the head (Rebelo). Multiple tales such as this graphic suicide are happening across the country. I felt this shockwave when my close friend and team leader, Corporal Christopher J Carter took his own life by crashing and burning alive in his car. His suicide was another demonstration of failing to receive the proper treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. A veteran commits suicide every 72 minutes, this is a problem fueled by the incompetence and difficulty of receiving treatment by the Veterans Health Affairs, a negative stigma that causes veterans to suffer silently from their mental issues, as well as a failed preventative approach on stopping destructive behavior before it’s too late.

This resonates with the current political situation was created by the current president Donald Trump. When president Trump banned seven Muslims dominantly countries from entering the US on claim people from specific religions impose certain danger to the American people. Many refugee communities have been afraid of speaking out because talking about their political opinion was never an easy task for them so they prefer to be silent and wait for the end result. According to the study from Cook et al. (2015) “PTSD and major depression were the most commonly studied mental health conditions. Even