You don't need to be a clinical psychologist like me to appreciate that fleeing war and repression and trying to start a new life abroad takes its toll on refugees. I see the mental scars every day. The enduring harm has now been spelled out by a study of refugees in Sweden. It shows that they are, on average, 2.5 times as likely to develop a psychotic disorder as the average population, and suggests that this is due to repeated exposure to trauma and abuse as well as the socioeconomic disadvantage and discrimi nation they face (BMJ, doi.org/bdgn). I work in the refugee camp in Idomeni, on the border between Greece and Macedonia, and can testify to these experiences. More than 13,000 desperate men, women and children are stranded here, hoping the border will reopen. The vast majority of those seen here by the Medecins Sans Frontieres mental health team have fled war, violence and persecution. But they have also endured trauma en route. Many have risked their lives and seen others drown. The psychological impact of this violence is compounded by the inhumane living conditions at the camp and the uncertainty as governments argue over the refugees' fate.
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