According to the World Health Organization, the hundreds of millions of international migrants, asylum seekers and irregular migrants are all groups who require special concern and need more protection and support. These groups are exposed to more stress factors than the average person, including significant instability and exposure to violence as they migrate. Even when migrants settle down, if they are able to, they face a plethora of new challenges as they try to integrate into society, including poor living or working conditions, unemployment, and assimilation difficulties.
All of these difficult conditions led to a greater risk of mental health issues and disorders. These can include depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. The stress in the daily life of a migrant can also trigger pre-existing social and mental health problems. Children who have been separated from migrating parents are at a higher risk for depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, conduct disorder, and substance use problems. All of these examples lead to a need for more resources for these migrants.
Many of these populations and groups lack access to mental health services or experience barriers in accessing these. They also face disruptions in continuity of care. In order to solve this issue, mental health treatment needs to be integrated with primary healthcare, and these resources need to begin to reach out to these target groups. The World Health Organization created its own plan to promote the health of migrants and refugees, and it is currently in progress. It is important that major institutions continue to address these critical mental health issues, as migrants are vital to the future of our country. However, migrants can only positively contribute if they are able to take care of themselves, which requires mental health services be in place for this vulnerable population.
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