Treatment of Mental Illness

Abstract

This chapter discusses mental health treatment of refugees who present with symptoms of mental illness. Estimates of the prevalence of mental illness in refugees are varied depending on their home countries, their experience, torture, and the process by which they made their way to the US. However, numerous existing studies confirm that several risk factors put refugees at high risk of developing mental illness. While posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression are among the commonly reported mental illnesses, several culture specific syndromes are also described. In addition, refugees manifest mental and physical symptoms that result from emotional distress but cannot be classified into any particular disorder or syndrome. The same challenges that are inherent in assessing mental illness apply to formulating and designing treatment interventions for these illnesses. A major barrier to delivering optimal care is language. Qualified medical interpreters are critical as the efficacy of psychotherapeutic interventions is dependent on effective communication. Subtle differences in meanings particularly of idiomatic speech, if not interpreted correctly, can contribute to a poor understanding of cultural factors in the manifestation of emotional distress or even a misdiagnosis of a frank psychiatric illness. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: chapter)