Our mental health can be shaped by genetics, biological factors, but also by racial capitalism, legacies of colonialism, and systems of oppression. Liberating our mental health includes liberating ourselves from borders and all other institutions that subject us to harm.
The theme for this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week is “moving more for our mental health”. Whilst we know what kind of movement this theme refers to, as a migration charity we know that migratory movement is necessary for people’s mental health and survival. Around the world, people have no choice but to migrate in search of dignity and a safer, better life.
But even so, once people reach their destination country, safety and dignity is not guaranteed. Hostile immigration systems and the proliferation of borders in daily life, means those seeking safety are continually subjected to surveillance and violence. The UK’s Rwanda Bill is set to come law, and this will seriously impact the mental health of those seeking safety.
It is also important to remember that those seeking safety are fleeing from traumatising conditions that have been created by colonial and imperial interventions. Until reparations are made for those legacies, psychological trauma will continue to be passed down through generations.