Breaking the Silence: Understanding the Mental Health challenge of an Undocumented Immigrant.
An undocumented immigrant’s journey is filled with uncertainty, fear, and hardship. It starts long before they leave their home country and continues long after their arrival in a new country. They experience a range of difficulties, starting from financial struggles, a sense of failure, Hopelessness, physical or mental violence, poverty, or disasters. This challenging journey can lead to the development of traumatic mental health conditions, and often, many of them are unaware of the gravity of their mental situation.
Once they arrive in this new country, they face additional challenges that can exacerbate their mental health issues, such as violence, environmental hazards, unemployment, unwelcoming host, abandonment, homesickness, separation from loved ones, xenophobia, and limited resources. These challenges lead to feelings of isolation, Hopelessness, and helplessness.
It is also important to mention the fear of deportation, the uncertainty of their status, doubt about their future, and the constant threat of being discovered can lead to high levels of stress and trauma, manifesting in the form of mental health conditions such as PTSD and depression. Discrimination, racism, profiling, and stigma faced in their new communities can also significantly destabilize their mental well-being.
In addition, the shifting family structure and dynamics, language barriers, and other cultural challenges can also contribute to other more serious mental health issues such as psychosis, and schizophrenia. They also can lead to feelings of grief and loss, manifesting in the form of depression and anxiety. The impact of these challenges on mental health is often overlooked.
The mental health challenges faced by vulnerable populations, such as undocumented immigrants or refugees, are a significant concern that requires a comprehensive approach to address. Non-profit organizations and churches have a vital role in this endeavor, as not only, can they advocate but also provide access to mental health services, support, and education that are tailored to the specific needs and experiences of this population. By doing so, not only will they help improve the mental health of these individuals, but will also contribute to the betterment of our communities as a whole.
Mirval*
