Source: Big Think
Immigrants in the United States are less likely to have mental health problems than U.S.-born individuals, according to a new study which surveyed 36,000 immigrants.
According to the study, immigrants are less likely to experience anxiety and depressive or trauma-related disorders.
“It turns out that the very reasons why immigration is so difficult are the same reasons why those who do immigrate successfully tend to be healthier and mentally tougher than average,” reports Big Think.
Referred to as the “healthy immigrant hypothesis” the idea is that immigrants who are able to migrate successfully do so because they are mentally more stable and capable of handling stress.
Immigrants of nearly all ages of those surveyed experience less stress than U.S.-born individuals, except immigrants under that age of 12. Children are as likely as U.S.-born children to experience stress.
The survey does not differentiate between immigrants who came to the U.S. on a voluntary basis and those who arrived seeking asylum. Other studies have shown that refugees seeking asylum suffer from high levels of PTSD.
Read Full Story: Big Think