Prolonged Humanitarian Crises – Mental Health in a Refugee Setting at the Thai-Myanmar Border

Abstract

Since 1945 there is systematic research on the psychological impact of traumata in the context of war and forced migration on the affected populations especially concerning post-traumatic stress disorder and related disorders. The so-called Hill tribes of Myanmar, living as long-term refugees at the Thai-Myanmar border are facing destroyed expectations for a better future. Non-governmental organizations as well as responsible stakeholders in the self-organizations of the camps should be alert about psychosocial problems and their manifestations like domestic violence, suicidal ideations/attempts, drug and alcohol abuse as well as social withdrawal. The mental health service should be encouraged to focus not only on sickening and the negative coping with stress and the feeling of uselessness, helplessness, hopelessness, but on salutogenetic aspects of mental health and psychosocial problems and the way people are coping with in a positive way. Resilience is a factor, easily overlooked by health care providers, especially in situations, which make people depending on help.

Keywords

• resilience
• long-term refugee settings
• mental health
• humanitarian aid