As it is known, immigration has increased considerably in recent years. The migration process is a process that develops in different ways. Situations such as group migration, forced migration, or individual migration may be possible. Migration doesn't have to be just economic. Political reasons, social reasons or psychological reasons may also be reasons to migrate.
In 2010, while the number of immigrants worldwide was 214 million, according to the United Nations Population Fund, 244 million people live outside their countries in 2016. (BMNF, 2016). In the countries of migration, immigrants are mostly placed in camp areas reserved for them. The excess population here may cause health problems in people. In addition, social and economic problems also arise. However, apart from social, economic and health problems, a more likely problem may arise, which is mental problems.
How Does Migration Affect Mental Health?
47% of all refugees in the world are asylum seekers and They are displaced people, and 50% of them are female refugees and asylum seekers, and 44% are children under the age of 18 (Gögen 2011). The processes experienced are stressful and lead to mental health problems, especially in refugees (Ehntholt and Yule 2006).
Psychological problems in asylum seekers may not only be related to migration. The pre-migration period is also an important predictor to look at the mental state of these people. Pre-migration risk factors include the negative economic, educational and professional situation in their home country, political situations, social support, roles and disruption of the social network (Kirmayer et al. 2011). Accordingly, many refugees/asylum seekers experience or witness traumatic events such as rape, torture, war, detention, murder, physical injury and genocide before leaving their country (Nicholl and Thompson 2004). In addition, childhood experiences lead to a predisposition to mental problems. , personal problems and personality traits may also be decisive.
They may encounter similar difficulties during migration. Duration of migration, difficult living conditions in refugee camps, exposure to violence, estrangement from or loss of family, uncertainty at the time of migration, etc. It is very effective in m. It can be said that the age of migration is also related to the possibility of experiencing psychological problems. Although people can adapt more easily in migrations at a young age, stepping into a new culture before the cultural structure is completed can also increase the risk.
After migration, uncertainty about migration or refugee status, unemployment and unemployability, social status, family Loss of social support, anxiety about family members left behind, anxiety about reuniting, language learning, cultural adaptation and adjustment difficulties (for example, change in gender roles) are other risk factors that negatively affect mental health (Kirmayer et al. 2011). In addition, the effort to adapt to a new culture, exclusion, and perceived discrimination are also related to the mental state. For this reason, living within one's own ethnic group seems healthier for the person. Since living with people from the same culture will increase social support and sharing and avoid the feeling of being alone, the person will be able to be in a more stable mood or maintain the current mood. As a matter of fact, studies have shown that post-migration stress factors have a stronger negative impact on the mental health of asylum seekers/refugees, rather than pre-migration traumas (Teodorescu et al. 2012).
Among all these reasons, the situation they are most affected by is the post-migration situation. . The period of learning a new culture to a new country after immigration is quite challenging. In addition, the effort to gain self-acceptance, the feeling of exclusion, being stuck between two cultures, and not receiving sufficient support greatly affect the mood. One of the reasons that causes the most stress is that refugees try to acquire the culture of the countries they immigrate to, thus moving away from their own culture and not being able to experience their own culture. This situation, which we call acculturation, also varies according to age. While Kaplan and Marks (1990) found that depression was high in young immigrants who adapted to the new culture, they found that high acculturation protected older immigrants from depression.
Psychological disorders in asylum seekers/refugees include anxiety, depression, psychosomatic symptoms, sleep disorder, attention deficit. , suicide, agorophobia and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is encountered (Buz 2008, Gündüz 2012, Warfa et al. 2012, Lee et al. 2012). Post-traumatic stress disorder has symptoms such as sleep problems, frequent recall of memories related to the event, avoidance of reminder factors, aggression, and startle. These symptoms usually begin to appear after the day of the trauma and usually last for several weeks. However, this situation may last longer for asylum seekers, for months or even years. Especially after migration, not encountering the salvation they dream of, living in difficult conditions and being separated from their relatives can lead to disappointment and even anger. Thus, the person becomes vulnerable to depression. Reluctance, stagnation, irregular sleep, weakness. Symptoms such as unhappiness and loss of appetite may be observed. It usually coexists with PTSD, depression and anxiety disorders (Ehntholt and Yule 2006, Kirmayer et al. 2011).
In review studies conducted on adult refugees (6743 people), PTSD was between 3% and 86%, 3% It is noteworthy that major depression is between 80% and 80%, generalized anxiety disorder is 4%, and psychotic disorder is 2% (Fazel et al. 2005). The effect of traumatic events plays a main role in adaptation systems, and this leads to an increase in the number of comorbidities and susceptibility to traumatic events in the future ( Teodorescu et al. 2012).
Although the country of immigration is a foreign country in the first period, it becomes more familiar and harmonious as the years pass. During this period, language learning is accompanied by the desire to return even if living conditions increase. The feeling of helplessness may also increase. High stress scores change after living in the new place for 3 years (Teodorescu et al. 2012). Therefore, we can say that it is important for refugees to spend 3 years in the country they migrate to in order to adapt.
The effects of migration may also differ on gender. Women and men can resist migration and its effects differently and develop different coping methods. Women experience more psychological distress than men, and these manifest themselves as physical distress. Symptoms such as back pain, heart palpitations, tremors and feeling of suffocation are observed. Depression caused by being apart more is seen in men. attached. In addition, men experience reluctance, hopelessness, and deterioration in their perception of masculinity. It is also stated that women show more emotional outbursts, loss of sexual interest, crying, fainting and being easily startled compared to men (Renner and Salem 2009). Due to this difference between genders, treatment methods and interventions also vary. Men are more reluctant to accept aid and are more oppressed by the economic difficulties they experience. They also become suspicious of people who provide support and have trust problems. For this reason, it is stated that the treatment duration of men receiving treatment is longer (Lee et al. 2012). As a result, although women are more affected by migration than men, they are easier to adapt and more likely to cope with psychological problems. However, this condition lasts longer in men, so the treatment they will receive will also take longer.
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