News, Culture and NPR for Central & Northern Michigan

Burmese refugees rate of suicide higher than national average

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Flickr User Edgar Languren

The risk of suicide is higher for refugees in this country. It’s higher still if you’re a refugee from Burma, the Southeast Asian country also known as Myanmar. The trauma of fleeing a country in conflict often turns into mental illness, even years later. But the Western concept of mental health doesn’t exist in Burmese culture, and words like “depression” don’t translate.

That means some Burmese refugees aren’t getting the care they need:

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