Trauma victims helped by gardening

My Time has introduced a green fingered approach to helping asylum seekers who have come to Birmingham from war zones around the world. Around 80% of asylum seekers display symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder according to research carried out in Birmingham. It is a serious psychological condition which is commonly linked to troops who have been in war zones.

Over 130 asylum seekers were interviewed as part of the study which was carried out by a Small Heath counselling practice ‘My Time’ – together with the University of Central Lancashire and the Care Services Improvement Partnership (CSIP). Most of the asylum seekers on the Small Heath project were Muslim men from 22 different countries – including war zones and areas of political unrest, such as Bosnia, Somalia, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Some of the new arrivals to the UK were offered counselling and an opportunity to take part in a gardening project, offered by the Asylum Seeker charity ASIRT. For many of the asylum seekers the concept of counselling was alien to their culture, and for many, especially the men, talking about mental health was seen as a sign of weakness. They were unaccustomed to traditional ‘talking therapies’ and preferred to take part in activity based therapies such as gardening.

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Sharing gardening tips Sharing gardening tips Practical therapy Farming and agriculture had provided the livelihood for many of the asylum seekers in their home countries, so a lot of the participants responded well to the gardening activities that enabled them to use their practical skills and knowledge. Yasr, a refugee from Eritrea, settled here three years ago. He volunteered to lead the gardening project alongside horticultural therapist Tony Hewitt.

“I have learnt so much about people’s needs, and made many friends. I have learnt new skills and I’m currently looking for a new job where I can help communities,” said Yasr.

As part of the project, Tony and Yasr worked in the garden behind the drop in centre. A lot of the vegetables grown were used to cook free meals for those using the drop in centre.

Tony Hewitt explained: “It takes their mind off of their situation and gives them the chance to see the results of their efforts, which builds and enhances their self esteem.”

On his first assessment session, a Sudanese man from Darfur talked about experiencing tearfulness, depression, vivid nightmares, flashbacks, isolation and suicidal thoughts. Back home he witnessed the brutal murder of his mother, father and daughter:

“I was referred by my Doctor. I was very depressed, very alone and isolated. I am from Dafur and I have a few contacts but not many. “Most of the time I’m on my own. Sometimes I don’t talk with anyone, just my head and I am very depressed. I had bad sleep and up all night. I was very confused and lost. I saw visions of the past.”

His diagnosis was severe post-traumatic stress disorder. He responded well to the horticultural therapy. Being involved in the gardening project built up his confidence, physical appearance and his outlook on life. He has now become active in Sudanese groups campaigning on Darfur and his flashbacks and other symptoms have reduced. Volunteers Riffat (My Time), Valentine (Asirt) Volunteers Riffat (My Time), Valentine (ASIRT) War memories A Bosnian man says why the project has helped him:

“I was injured as a soldier in the Bosnian war. Everyone was a soldier in the middle of a war. I came here in 1995 and I have not worked and now on incapacity benefit and I am very depressed. This is first time I have been to counselling. “I want to grow Bosnian vegetables and have a Bosnian plot to celebrate my roots. This is important as I sometimes do not want to speak and working in a garden helped me move away from my thoughts.”

A woman from Zimbabwe said that the process of waiting to hear whether she could stay in Britain added to the stress. The gardening project and research carried out attempted to explore the effectiveness of counselling as a way of helping refugees and asylum seekers overcome their trauma, and to see what can be done to improve mental health provision

‘My Time’ project manager Amra Mekic asks us all to

“..consider what an asylum seeker has been through in their home countries before we pass judgement on them.” For information on this research and the ASIRT drop-in centre in Small Heath visit the websites below.

This was taken from a BBC Birmingham website article published in 2008-

http://www.bbc.co.uk/birmingham/content/articles/2008/06/19/asylum_trauma_in_birmingham_feature.shtml