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How to Best Help Mental Patients Among Migrants

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Mental Health, Mental Illness and Migration

Part of the book series: Mental Health and Illness Worldwide ((MHIW))

Abstract

According to the latest figures from the UNHCR, we are now witnessing the highest number of displaced people in modern times. These displaced people have not only lost the security of familiar surroundings and kinship networks, but also many are leaving war-torn societies and have witnessed or experienced extremes of violence and abuse. It is not surprising, therefore, that mental illness is frequent in these populations. The first and universal help that can be given is with basic needs for survival and adjustment to the new reality. Only then are more targeted psychological and pharmacological therapies likely to be helpful. The current research evidence for the efficacy of these is reviewed and presented here. By and large, psychological interventions have the best evidence for efficacy in trauma-related conditions but require therapist training and are labor intensive. Also, the evidence for their efficacy comes largely from studies carried out by experts with settled populations accessing western-style service structures. A handful of interesting adaptations of these approaches for countries with less well-developed services are described.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Health Services and Population Research, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK

    Tom K. J. Craig

Authors
  1. Tom K. J. Craig
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Correspondence to Tom K. J. Craig .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Ibn Rushd University Psychiatric Centre, Casablanca, Morocco

    Driss Moussaoui

  2. Centre for Affective Disorders, IoPPN, Kings College, London, UK

    Dinesh Bhugra

  3. School of Psychology, University of East London and Centre for Psychiatry, within the Wolfson Institute for Preventive Medicine, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK

    Rachel Tribe

  4. Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy

    Antonio Ventriglio

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Craig, T.K.J. (2021). How to Best Help Mental Patients Among Migrants. In: Moussaoui, D., Bhugra, D., Tribe, R., Ventriglio, A. (eds) Mental Health, Mental Illness and Migration. Mental Health and Illness Worldwide. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-2366-8_13

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