Analysis: starting life anew in another country can be extremely daunting, but local communities can provide help and support
When there is civil unrest within a country or war between countries, refugees are invariably forced to flee their homes. They can then be subjected to a life of drifting and feelings of loss and isolation, while holding firmly to the hope of one day returning to be reunited with families and friends in their home country.
Starting life anew in another country, even one willing to receive and protect refugees, can be extremely daunting. The journey from Ukraine for those displaced by the current war can be fraught with challenges. The sudden change that resulted in a loss of normal life and necessitated the need to run from the life-threatening dangers of war is unfortunately not the end of a refugee's problems, as prolonged displacement in exile comes with new and culturally unfamiliar challenges and trauma.
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From RTÉ Radio 1's Morning Ireland. Aisling Moloney speaks to refugees and the community that has welcomed them in Waterford
Research shows that refugees experience significant levels of clinical depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and increased risk of suicide. The conflicts that they have fled often weigh very heavily upon their shoulders.
While some refugees receive the appropriate mental health interventions and are diagnosed with mental health needs, most are left undiagnosed and untreated. This inadvertently leads to increased difficulty in coping with everyday life. Refugees cited as being at greatest risk for depression include people who cannot acclimatise to the culture and cannot speak the language of the host country.
Refugees can also experience 'secondary stressors’, which arises from their situation as refugees in exile. These fall into three main categories: financial stressors, environmental stressors (including navigating complex social welfare systems) and social stressors, that include separation from family and friends, prejudice, discrimination, and exploitation. If these stressors are persistently present, it can have an incredibly significant impact on these individuals’ mental health.
So, what can we do to help?
(1) Social support networks
Numerous research papers suggest that social support and being accepted into a community can have preventive, therapeutic and buffering effects. For many refugees, how they are welcomed and supported to understand and integrate into a new culture will have a long-term effect on their mental, physical, and emotional health. Being part of a community enhances the likelihood of social bonding, leading to increased perceived support.
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From RTÉ Six One News, Ukrainian refugees to be accommodated in community halls throughout Ireland
Many supportive communities are not found in the residential neighbourhood that a person lives in, but also within any number of special interest groups. The strength of these local community groups lies in their ability to assist the refugee to navigate the stressors of early resettlement, as well as providing the person with a sense of belonging and social identity.
Opportunities to create social support networks with other Ukrainians and with members of the host society that allow for the sharing of experiences, information, and resources enhances the likelihood of building positive relationships. Even small gestures of friendship can mean so much and reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation.
(2) Make space and time for sorrow and grief
Ask yourself the question 'what have these individuals left behind?' The answer is that they have left absolutely everything behind in Ukraine and the enormity of this is overwhelming. Grief is the natural emotional response to loss, and both are sadly endemic amongst refugees.
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From RTÉ Radio 1's Morning Ireland, calls for guidance and training for people taking in refugees
The physical and emotional pain of the sudden loss of family and friends through death, displacement, resettlement or leaving behind loved ones who cannot or will not leave their home country is profound. In addition, refugees also leave behind their homes and all of their possessions as well as their social and professional identity. The world they have known has been blown to smithereens and shattered in front of their eyes.
Recognising the pervasiveness of loss and grief among Ukrainians is extremely important. Because the experience of war is extremely traumatic, being inquisitive and intrusive on this topic is not advisable. For people supporting refugees, making space for sadness and grief, initiated and led by the individual that has experienced the loss, can be immensely helpful. In fact, the power of listening with empathy and respect should never be underestimated.
Psychologists suggest that taking time to ask questions and listen to the lived experience of these individuals before the outbreak of war can be invaluable. It allows the person to share stories and memories about their social identity, the valued roles they played in society, the culture they grew up in and the treasured places they left behind and hope to return to. The knowledge we gleam can provide us with opportunities to connect refugees with similar experiences and community settings to those they have left behind.
(3) Employ refugees
One of the first, and perhaps most underrated, benefits of employment for refugees is the ability to put down strong roots and regain a sense of security. A hand up is always better than a handout.
The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ
