Mental health and FINTA* refugees

What is mental health?

Mental health encompasses how an individual thinks and feels, as well as their ability to cope and deal with the stresses of everyday life. It is one of the essential pillars of one’s overall well being. Good mental health lies beyond the absence of mental illness. It also requires a state of well being where one feels good and content, and can function well in their daily life.

Mental health from a holistic approach

As defined by the World Health Organisation, health consists of physical, social, and mental aspects. This means that having a healthy lifestyle not only consists of keeping ourselves fit, but also building social ties and forming a sense of belonging, as well as focussing on our mental health. 

Based on a holistic approach, these aspects are not seen as separate entities, but rather ones that are involved in an intricate interplay with one another. For example, how diet and exercise can influence our mental state. A more complex example is burnout. Someone experiencing burnout often feels tired, both mentally and physically, at times resulting in feelings of anger and despair, as well as loss of willingness to socialise.

Taken all this into account, in order to live contently, we need to consider many factors to be able to focus and work on our mental health from a holistic approach.

Correlation between mental health and privilege

At this point, it is important to note that there is a strong correlation between mental health and privilege. 

As the World Health Organisation nicely puts it, “the gap between people needing care and those with access to care remains substantial.” 

A lot of us have access to mental health resources that are not available to a lot of groups in society. For example, not everyone is able to get medication, undergo treatments, see a therapist, or access the internet for resources.

This privilege gap is something we need to keep in mind and address in our society in order to make mental health resources accessible to all.

Why does hildashaus put a focus on mental health?

Since we work with people in vulnerable and marginalised positions, often those who were displaced by war, we believe it is important to put a focus on and foster good mental health. 

The refugee and asylum-seeking communities are often overlooked and neglected by society and because of this, we want to work on making mental health resources more accessible to them. Refugees and those seeking asylum have went through a lot to get to their host country. Often times, there is no time and energy left to be spent on looking after one’s mental health.

Factors affecting the mental health of refugees and those seeking asylum

Apart from daily life stressors we all share, it is often the case that refugees have experienced a whole lot more on top of that. These can include pre-migration trauma, forced displacement, family separation, as well as post-migration difficulties, such as discrimination and a hostile environment in their host country. Due to these reasons, it has been noted that about 20 to 30 per cent of refugees suffer from major depression or a pronounced post-traumatic stress disorder and are in need of treatment (Steel, Chey et al., 2009). 

Living circumstances in the host country can affect the extent to which one feels accepted and welcome. With an uncertain legal status, and living in refugee housing facilities which are often underfunded and lacking support, these usually provide refugees and those seeking asylum with an uncomfortable living situation. This can result in the feeling of unwantedness and the questioning of one’s worth, risking a low subjective well being. In addition to this, other factors such as the amount of contact one has to members of the host society, one’s language skills, in particular the host country’s dominant language, can also influence one’s sense of belonging.

It is also worth noting that while refugees and those seeking asylum can have an overlap of many experiences, they are still in different situations. Not only does this differentiation affect a person’s legal status in a country, but it can also influence the access one has to housing, employment, healthcare, education, and other opportunities. 

On top of that, many of us have encountered more feelings of isolation, stress, and anxiety during the pandemic. In many cases, the experience for refugee and migrant communities has been exacerbated and further neglected by a lack of funding and support from the government as well as society.

Factors affecting the mental health of FINTA* refugees and those seeking asylum

On this note, it is important to distinguish and acknowledge that the FINTA* refugee community and those seeking asylum undergo different experiences compared to cis hetero men.

According to studies carried out by the European Parliament, trauma caused by the experiences undergone by refugees who identify as FINTA*, is often gender-based violence. This can include the extreme circumstances they have experienced in their country of origin, forced marriages, exclusion from education, as well as control over their bodies and their liberties. Due to institutionalised patriarchal structures, the gender roles and expections that arise from these, alongside cultural factors, FINTA* refugees are at an increased risk to being victims of violence (“The traumas endured by refugee women and their consequences for integration and participation in the EU host country” European Parliament). 

Now add to this the dangers and precarities of migration journeys, challenging asylum procedures, alongside the struggles of settling down and feeling accepted in their destination countries. The higher risk of violence that FINTA* refugees and asylum seekers experience further aggravate their existing traumas.

Inclusion vs integrationAt this point, we also think the difference between “integration” and “inclusion” is worth discussing. From a societal perspective, integration is when “outsiders” are taught to learn and assimilate to the dominant culture and its practices. Integration often has xenophobic undertones that come along with it. While affiliation and the sense of belonging to the dominant culture of the destination country can improve well being (“Acculturation, Social Support and Mental Health Outcomes among Syrian Refugees in Germany” Journal of Refugee Studies), asking someone to let go of their beliefs and cultural practices to integrate to their host country is not the sustainable route to long-term positive well being and good mental health. Striving towards integration forces someone to fit the mold and does not leave much space for diversity and equity. 

Inclusion, on the other hand, entails everyone participating in the process. It takes into account the struggles of adjusting to a new culture, the language difficulties that may come along with it, and embraces that. Inclusion asks everyone to pitch in and do the work, to seek out information and learn more about different cultures, how to accommodate the needs of people from different cultures and how to make them feel comfortable. This makes inclusion a multifaceted approach that can help remove some of the stress and one-sided responsibilities from the refugee and migrant communities once they arrive in their destination country.

There is a lack of action and intervention when approaching mental health holistically.

While there have been numerous studies on the mental health of the refugee and migrant communities, there is still a lack of action and intervention when it comes to addressing mental health from a holistic approach.

In addition, mental illnesses manifest themselves in variation. Mental illnesses can look different for everyone. Some people are able to function well and go about their daily lives with little problems, while others may struggle. Each form is valid and should be addressed, observing the person as a complex being and approaching the situation based on their experiences. As previously mentioned, FINTA* in refugee status and those seeking asylum undergo different experiences compared to cis hetero men. Due to this, attempts to address mental health should also be catered to this specific audience and their needs.

Our “Empowerment and Well Being” program

At hildashaus, we believe the mental health of each individual needs to be looked at from a holistic perspective. Above we describe many of the different aspects that play into the mental health of people in refugee and migrant communities, how these influence one’s well being, confidence, and how empowered one feels to tackle life and its challenges. 

This is why in 2020, we launched our "Empowerment and Well Being” program with JACK-Berlin's community of FINTA* in refugee status and seeking asylum. We want to use martial arts, art therapy, trauma sensitive yoga, as well as self massage, to combine the physical, social, and mental.

hildashaus is committed to helping FINTA* via a holistic approach, with mental health being one of the main pillars we focus on. Check out our Empowerment, Health and Well-being program for more information.

Author: Julianna Patricia Varga