Psychoanalytic Review
Volume 104, Issue 6 Special Issue, 2017, Pages 687-694

Variations on the migratory theme: Immigrants or exiles, refugees or asylees (Article)

Lijtmaer R.M.*
  • a 88 West Ridgewood Ave, Ridgewood, NJ 07450, United States

Abstract

When a country is engulfed in war, or overrun by a dictator who begins killing, its citizens are forced to flee. In such situations, the only compassionate response is to take people in. With the ongoing mass migration to Europe, these refugees pay smugglers to take them to safety, but there is no safe place to go since nobody wants them. They leave in a rush to save their lives and their families due to political and religious fear, death threats, rape of women, or forced labor. They do not have time to mourn the losses, there is no time for “ideal migration” where destination countries can choose whom they will take in. The initial hope and dream to escape to a safe “haven” is transformed into a nightmare of humiliation and fear. These asylum seekers will be or already are suffering from PTSD due to massive psychic trauma. © 2017 N.P.A.P.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

Emigrants and Immigrants Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic politics Emigration and Immigration Rejection (Psychology) refugee Psychological Trauma Refugees psychotrauma psychoanalysis Fear psychology human Humans migrant migration attitude posttraumatic stress disorder

Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85038262220&doi=10.1521%2fprev.2017.104.6.687&partnerID=40&md5=4863fc5fe8f1b0bc273befd068933176

DOI: 10.1521/prev.2017.104.6.687
ISSN: 00332836
Cited by: 1
Original Language: English