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Treatment of Mental Illness

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Refugee Health Care

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Abstract

Refugees are at high risk of developing mental illness. While post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression are among the commonly reported mental illnesses, several culture specific syndromes are also described. In addition, refugees manifest physical symptoms that result from emotional distress. This chapter provides a practical approach to management of mental health symptoms in refugees. It considers an array of approaches including pharmacological, psychotherapeutic, psychosocial, and community-based interventions and emphasizes the need for multidisciplinary treatment strategies. Because refugees have complex cultural backgrounds and social needs, they often offer resistance to accepting mental health treatment even when it is indicated. Psychoeducation is important as the first step in engaging patients in treatment. Though migration and resettlement stressors contribute significantly to psychological distress, most research on mental health treatment in refugees has been on trauma-focused therapies. Culturally sensitive Cognitive Based Therapy (CBT) and Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) are two psychotherapeutic modalities well documented in refugees. NET is a form of testimony therapy that is an adaptation of exposure therapy. Community based interventions play an extremely important role in assisting successful adjustment of refugees in the new community. While working with refugees can be extremely rewarding work, it also requires the development of a supportive network for the providers.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Yale University School of Medicine, 34 Park St., New Haven, CT, 06519, USA

    Aniyizhai Annamalai M.D.

  2. Law and Psychiatry Division, Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, 34 Park St., New Haven, CT, 06519, USA

    Maya Prabhu M.D., L.L.B.

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  1. Aniyizhai Annamalai M.D.
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  2. Maya Prabhu M.D., L.L.B.
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Correspondence to Aniyizhai Annamalai M.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Depts. of Internal Medicine & Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA

    Aniyizhai Annamalai

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Annamalai, A., Prabhu, M. (2014). Treatment of Mental Illness. In: Annamalai, A. (eds) Refugee Health Care. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-0271-2_13

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-0271-2_13

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