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Intergenerational Trauma Persists in Immigrant Communities
Immigrants who have untreated mental trauma will pass it on to future generations in a chain of intergenerational trauma
My family is one full of Vietnam War refugee stories and, unfortunately, intergenerational trauma. Refugees that left Vietnam suffered significant trauma from losing their home countries and many times members of their families. They also faced harrowing experiences during their escape. They may have suffered from starvation, watching relatives die at sea or during war, encountering corpses on the street or elsewhere on their journey, and threat of rape by Thai pirates, which left them with lasting post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression, according to Jeanne F. Nidorf. Many refugees still feel a “constant sense of insecurity,” according to Pham Cao Duong.
This trauma is often left untreated due to cultural shame, language barriers which prevent access to appropriate resources, and the need for prioritization of survival above mental health. The admission of facing mental distress is viewed as a sign of shame in Asian communities, and reflects poorly not only on the individual but also the entire family. Thus, many Vietnamese refugees and immigrants choose to “tough it out” and suffer through their depression…
