Posttraumatic stress disorder in Syrian refugees: A review.

According to the International Federation of Red Cross, a disaster is a sudden event that disrupts the way a community functions, causes devastating losses, and exceeds the community's ability to survive on its own resources (International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, n.d.). It can be caused by natural events (i.e., earthquakes, floods, forest fires, etc.) or can be due to human behavior (i.e., industrial accidents, transport accidents, warfare, etc.). Warfare is perhaps one of the most devastating types of disaster, which has both acute and long-term effects. Even after the conflict is over, destruction to the environment, city and community infrastructure, food and resources shortage, displaced people, and outbreak of disease are problems that persist (De Goyet, Marti, & Osorio, 2006).The civil war in Syria began in March 2011 with the arrest and torture of prodemocracy protesters, which led to nationwide demands of the president's resignation (Rodgers, Gritten, Offer, & Asare, 2016). When rebel groups joined to fight against the government, the violence escalated into a civil war. According to the United Nations, 90,000 people had been killed in the conflict by June 2013 (United Nations Human Rights, Office of the High Commissioner, 2013). By August 2015, the number of casualties has exceeded 250,000. The already unstable conflict became even more chaotic and disastrous with the rise of ISIS. Other than the casualties of war, many crimes of war had also been reported (murder, torture, rape, kidnapping, etc.; Kareem, 2015). The use of bombs in highly populated urban areas to indiscriminately kill large numbers of civilians has also been reported. ISIS has also carried out chemical warfare, mass killings, and beheadings.The Syrian civil war has become an international crisis, with more than 12 million displaced people, half of them children. It is the largest migration of people since World War II. According to Amnesty International, Lebanon hosted 1.1 million refugees whereas 630,000 refugees settled in Jordan. Iraq, which is currently in a state of conflict, has welcomed 250,000 Syrians. Turkey received more than 1.9 million refugees (Amnesty International, 2015). Currently, refugees are travelling to Europe, with many migrating to Germany due to their open door policy to immigrants (Chu, 2015). As Syria's education, health care system, and other infrastructure and economy have collapsed, it may take years for the refugees to return home for hopes of a normal life.Most agencies and organizations are focused on providing for the primary needs of the refugees. These include basic necessities such as food, clothing, health care, and shelter. Refugees also require clean water and sanitation facilities. Most refugees live in abandoned buildings, sheds, garages, or tent settlements. Children need a safe environment and school, whereas the adults need employment. However, among all these the focus on mental health should also be a priority.Refugees have often experienced traumatic events that forced them to flee from their country of origin. This could include torture, unexpected and sudden loss of loved ones, sexual violence, and so forth. When they arrive at refugee camps, they can encounter more problems that can cause major psychological stress such as the lack of accommodation, basic necessities (i.e., clean water), and employment, to name a few. When the refugees finally get resettled into a foreign country, they often face the stresses of integrating into a new culture. Learning the new language and customs, along with the possibility of feeling as though they have to give up their own cultural identity, can prove stressful. Because of these stressful situations, refugees can have feelings of hopelessness, fear, anger, sadness, and so forth. They also commonly experience comorbid depression. Because refugees often witness and/or experience traumatic events and adversities, they are at particular risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). …