MHM Magazine

Issue 4 | 2023 | MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS | 31 MHM “I have never cared for so many people with suicidal ideation as I have here. Just in the month of August there were three cases,” says Miguel Gil, a Doctors Without Borders (MSF) psychologist in Tapachula (Chiapas), a city on Mexico’s southern border. Miguel has 10 years of experience working with migrants, many of whom are survivors of torture and extreme violence. Around 30,000 people endure lengthy journeys in harsh conditions to reach Tapachula daily, most of them emigrating from countries in Central and South America. Access to healthcare is not guaranteed for migrants – much less when it’s mental health. “At first, our mental health team visited places like shelters. Our goal was to reach out to people who had survived extreme violence or torture and who might benefit from the treatment that we provide in an MSF centre in Mexico City. Now we also provide mental health care for migrants and care for victims of sexual violence,” says Miguel. The team in charge of offering these services includes six psychologists, two doctors, two social workers, a psychosocial community involvement agent, a mental health supervisor and a team leader. Surviving extreme violence can have a severe impact on people’s mental health. Miguel and his team attend to people who are mainly affected by post-traumatic stress, acute depression, and anxiety. After experiencing horrific trials such as rape, injuries from firearms, mutilation and witnessing the murder of family members, some patients don’t want to continue living. The most complex cases are sent to the Comprehensive Care Centre in Mexico City where a team provides specialised multidisciplinary care to migrants, refugees and Mexicans who have been affected. The team consists of specialists who offer quality services in healthcare, mental health, physiotherapy, and social work. “We have to educate the local people here and help them to understand the stories of those who have suffered so much. Serving people who have been forgotten makes me feel like I’m doing my bit. What people need from us, as human beings, is empathy,” - Miguel Gil, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) psychologist MEXICO “The cases of extreme violence and torture that we handle are the tip of the iceberg” FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN WORK WITH US: VISIT: MSF .ORG.ZA/WORK-WITH-US © Y e s i k a O c a m p o © Jordi Ruiz Cirera