Mental illness and resilience among sexual and gender minority refugees and asylum seekers

It is well documented that refugees and asylum seekers (RAS) experience high levels of mental illness. This is also true of sexual and/or gender minority (SGM) individuals. Based on a literature summary, we present the current research on mental illness in individuals who experience the ‘multiple mi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	British journal of general practice 2019-01, Vol.69 (678), p.10-11
Main Authors:	White, Lucy Cj, Cooper, Max, Lawrence, David
Format:	Article
Language:	eng
Subjects:	Anxiety Disorders - epidemiology Anxiety Disorders - psychology Depressive Disorder - epidemiology Depressive Disorder - psychology Gays & lesbians General Practice Humans Medical treatment Mental disorders Mental Disorders - epidemiology Mental Disorders - psychology Political asylum Refugees Refugees - psychology Refugees - statistics & numerical data Resilience, Psychological Sexual and Gender Minorities - psychology Sexual and Gender Minorities - statistics & numerical data Sexual orientation Social Discrimination - psychology Social Discrimination - statistics & numerical data Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - epidemiology Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - psychology Substance-Related Disorders - epidemiology Substance-Related Disorders - psychology Suicidal Ideation Transgender persons Violence - psychology Violence - statistics & numerical data
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Summary:	It is well documented that refugees and asylum seekers (RAS) experience high levels of mental illness. This is also true of sexual and/or gender minority (SGM) individuals. Based on a literature summary, we present the current research on mental illness in individuals who experience the ‘multiple minority stress’ of being both SGM individuals and RAS. In high-income countries worldwide, hardening attitudes towards RAS are being spurred on by rising rates of international migration combined with policies such as those of the ‘hostile environment’ and ‘zero tolerance’. As individuals at the intersection of multiple minority identities, SGM RAS arriving in countries such as the UK not only have to navigate this complex socio-political and cultural context, but also have to navigate specific oppressions, such as reports of frequent rejection of asylum claims made in the UK on the basis of persecution for sexual orientation or gender identity.
ISSN:	0960-1643 1478-5242