1. Traumatised Refugees and Daily Functioning
Tapio Halla, Psychiatrist
Tampere City Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services
Psychiatric Clinic for Immigrants

2. Psychiatric Clinic for Immigrants
Tampere City Mental Health And Substance Abuse Services
Sarvis Psyhiatry (Depression, Bipolar,Anxiety, Trauma, Eating Disorders etc
Psychiatric Clinic for Immigrants

3. Psychiatric Clinic for Immigrants in Tampere
established 1996
outpatient clinic
psychiatric examination and care for adult traumatized refugees in Tampere (residence permit)
consultations and education concerning cultural psychiatry

4. Psychiatric Clinic for Immigrants
psychiatrist
physiotherapist
psychologist (from 4/2015)
psychiatric nurse (from 9/2016)
social worker (1/4 time therapy work)

5. Psychiatric Clinic for Immigrants in Tampere
about 200 patients/year
about 2500 visits/year
patients from over 20 different countries, mainly from Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Somalia
interpreters present in almost all visits
referral from primary care doctor needed

6. Patients in clinic
all are severely traumatized: torture, rapes, violation, war experiences, family members killed and missing
quota refugees, patients who have been asylum seekers and got residence permit, residence permit through family reunification
young adults, middle aged people with many children

7. Patients in clinic
patients don’t have much knowledge about psychiatry or psychiatric care
often somatic symptoms, pain, headache, sleeplessness, irritation, learning and memory problems, weakness, nightmares,
diagnoses: PTSD, depression, psychosomatic disorders, dissociation, psychoses
small amount of alcohol or drug problems

8. Refugees who have PTSD often have
problems with memory and concentration
problems in human relations: easily irritated, misundertandings..
tiredness, sleeping problems
flashbacks
hyperarousal
many challenges in new culture
problems in learning new language

9. The vicious circle of immigrant
Memory and learnig difficulties, new language
Isolation, social withdrawal
Psychiatric disorder

10. The Circle of Recovery Experienced capacities, pride
Agency, social connections
The improvement of mental health
Sleeping well, memory and the capacity to learn
Serene-toiminta 2017

11. Meeting a refugee patient
information about Finnish practices and habits
information about psychiatry
language problems a great barrier, patients need help in everyday life
building confidential relationship takes time

12. Other factors language learning work/unemployment other activities
family situation
social relationships, loneliness
environment, racism

13. Thank you!