Mental health of Afghan migrants and refugees in Europe
Reaching a safe country is not the end of the strain. Studies from Germany, Austria and the UK show that depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress are far more common among Afghan migrants and refugees than in the general population, and that post-migration conditions (status uncertainty, family separation, unemployment and isolation) play a decisive part. This set of ten Farsi articles explains what those difficulties look like and where help can be found in each country.
The articles themselves are written in Farsi, for three groups: people who migrated themselves, families worried about someone close to them, and those who work with the Afghan community.
Each article covers one topic, with a practical section and a list of linked sources so the original research can be checked.
The ten articles
- 1. Why reaching a safe country is not the end of the strainPost-migration pressures: status limbo, unemployment, family separation and isolation.
- 2. Depression among Afghan migrantsWhy depression is often described through the body, and what actually helps.
- 3. PTSD among Afghan refugeesCore symptoms, prevalence in European studies, and what treatment involves.
- 4. Asylum anxiety: when the case holds your mental health hostageCase uncertainty is one of the strongest stressors. What genuinely helps.
- 5. My family stayed in Afghanistan: separation, worry and survivor guiltFamily separation is a recognised risk factor, not merely a feeling.
- 6. Loneliness in Europe: social isolation among Afghan migrantsHow isolation damages mental health, and how the cycle can be broken.
- 7. Sleepless nights and nightmaresWhy sleep breaks down, which rules actually work, and when to get help.
- 8. Unaccompanied minors and asylum-seeking childrenThe numbers, the warning signs, and what protects this group.
- 9. Family after migration: shifting roles and generational distanceWhen roles move and a child becomes the family interpreter.
- 10. How to get psychological help in EuropeThe step-by-step route in Germany, Austria and the UK.
Frequently asked questions
Why did I feel worse after reaching Europe?
Migration stress has three phases, and the third one, life after arrival, brings its own pressures: status uncertainty, unemployment, family separation, language and isolation. The WHO treats this phase as a decisive mental-health factor.
Are depression and anxiety common among Afghan migrants?
Yes. Studies in Germany and Austria find rates of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress several times higher than in the general population. It is a response to circumstances, not a weakness.
Will seeing a therapist affect my asylum case?
In European countries therapeutic confidentiality is a professional rule and a therapist does not report to the immigration authority. In some cases a medical report can, at your own request, support a case.
I do not speak the language. Can I still get help?
Yes. In many European countries an interpreter can be requested for therapy sessions, and therapy in Farsi or Dari is available online.
Where do I start?
In Germany and the UK the route usually starts with a GP or family doctor who refers you on. In Austria and several other countries, migrant counselling centres and NGOs are often the most accessible entry point.
What if I am thinking about suicide?
Contact your GP, emergency services or your country crisis line the same day. In EU countries the emergency number is 112.
If you are in immediate danger or thinking about harming yourself, contact emergency services or your country crisis line today. In EU countries the emergency number is 112. This page is not a substitute for assessment and treatment.
If you would like to speak with a Farsi-speaking therapist, you can book an online session.
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