Minority Mental Health Awareness Month: Understanding the challenges of young immigrants
July is the month for Minority Mental Health Awareness and this blog aims to raise awareness around the experiences of young immigrants to Ireland and the challenges they may face.
What do we mean by Minority?
The Cambridge Dictionary defines Minority as “any small group in society that is different from the rest because of their race, religion, or political beliefs, or a person who belongs to such a group.”
Diversity in Ireland
The 2022 census results show that Ireland is becoming a more diverse country and states that about 80% of the population were born in Ireland and approximately 20% were born outside of Ireland. About 77% of the population identified themselves as White Irish and other ethnic groups were Indian/Pakistani/Bangladeshi, Arab, Roma, Irish Travellers, and Chinese. Polish is the most common language apart from English/ Irish. The fastest-growing language spoken was Ukrainian (up 165%), followed by Hindi (154%) and Croatian (137%)
People migrate for many reasons – for work, to study or for better life opportunities. We are more aware that due to events such as war, political instability or famine, people are forced to leave their countries in search of safety.
Challenges that Migrants can face
In moving to a different country, a person can face many different challenges.
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In Ireland, migrants are much more concentrated in the private rental market and data shows that migrant groups are much more vulnerable to the risks of overcrowding and homelessness than Irish-born
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Experiencing loss. Being out of one’s routine, one’s familiar environment and being separated from friends and family can bring up feelings of loss for a person.
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Adjusting to a new culture, and perhaps learning a new language is another challenge that migrants will face when coming to Ireland. Differences in people’s behaviours and use of slang can be barriers to understanding. And while change can be exciting, it can also be stressful. Moving countries is certainly a big life change
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Discrimination and racism: migrants or people from minority ethnic groups often experience discrimination or racism. This can involve being treated negatively or being refused opportunities. It can also impact a person’s ability to access resources such as health care, housing, employment and education and this in turn can negatively impact their mental health
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Mental Health challenges: these big changes in one’s environment can bring about feelings of uncertainty which in turn can lead to feelings of anxiety. Migrants and people from minority groups are also more vulnerable to experiencing feelings of exclusion, isolation and loneliness due to language and cultural barriers and also due to experiences of discrimination and racism.
Loneliness
Feelings of loneliness come about due to the gap between our desire for social connectedness and our actual experience of it. Loneliness is not the same as being alone. We may feel quite content in our own company but experience loneliness while surrounded by people. The quality of our relationships and our ability to feel part of a group, to be our authentic selves in a group all contribute to feeling connected to others. Do we feel understood by and cared for by the other group members?
Humans are a social species and social connections are crucial for our survival. A 2015 study by UCLA found that social isolation can generate inflammatory cellular changes, making a person more susceptible to a wide range of physical health conditions like heart disease, Alzheimer's disease and metastatic cancer. A range of other studies have linked social isolation to depression, anxiety, fatigue and PTSD
Practical Tips
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Finding your community: find expat groups as these offer support as well as practical advice and offer opportunities for connection and building social ties. Take time to get to know people in your workplace, place of study or in your local community. Consider online groups for further opportunities
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Start a new hobby or activity in a group setting
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Consider volunteering as another way to get involved in your local community
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Explore your new country’s culture, food and values while also still valuing your culture
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Consider making exercise part of your routine – going for a walk, a jog or taking up any sport can have benefits for your mental health
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Engaging in creativity – is music your passion? Do you have an interest in arts and crafts? Doing something creative is another positive outlet for nurturing our mental health.
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Practice Self-compassion – taking an attitude of kindness towards ourselves can help us to manage the stress in our life
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Consider therapy as another resource
If you would like to begin your therapy journey, you can book an in-person or online appointment with us by calling 01 611 1719 or by emailing [email protected]. You can also choose to fill out the Enquiry form at the top of this page and we'll get back to you.
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