female-alcoholism-2847443_1920

HOUSTON — Undocumented Mexican immigrants living near the California-Mexico border experience increased rates of clinical depression and anxiety, a new study finds.

Researchers at Rice University examined the incidence of mental illnesses and substance abuse among 250 individuals within this stressed population, finding that 23 percent met the DSM’s criteria for having a mental disorder.

Depressed women
A new study finds that nearly a quarter of undocumented immigrants are battling depression, anxiety, or another mental disorder.

Fourteen percent of the study’s participants were found to have major depressive disorder (MDD), while eight and seven percent had panic or generalized anxiety disorders, respectively.

Some were determined to have suffered from multiple conditions concurrently.

“The estimates obtained in this study for depression and anxiety disorders were considerably higher in this population when compared with estimates for the general U.S. population,” says lead author Luz Garcini in a university news release.

Namely, one major study shows that seven percent of Americans suffer from MDD, while three percent suffer from a panic or anxiety-related disorder.

These findings came despite the related finding that aliens residing in the U.S. did not demonstrate increased levels of substance abuse.

“This finding defies existing stereotypes that contribute to stigmatization of and discrimination against Mexican immigrants living in the U.S. without documentation as a population with high prevalence of substance use,” Garcini explains. “These individuals are unlikely to engage in substance use because it increases their risk for deportation and it interferes with their productivity at work.”

The researchers believe that a number of stressors, including stigmatization, language barriers, fear of deportation, family separation, and discrimination, are culprits for the deteriorated mental health of many migrants.

Compounding matters, undocumented individuals rarely have access to adequate mental health services, the researchers say.

“Additional research and funding are needed to document the devastating effects of the current socio-political context on the mental health of immigrants living in the U.S. without documentation, which is needed to inform advocacy, policy and intervention efforts,” Garcini concludes.

The study’s findings will be published in a future issue of the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.

About Daniel Steingold

Our Editorial Process

StudyFinds publishes digestible, agenda-free, transparent research summaries that are intended to inform the reader as well as stir civil, educated debate. We do not agree nor disagree with any of the studies we post, rather, we encourage our readers to debate the veracity of the findings themselves. All articles published on StudyFinds are vetted by our editors prior to publication and include links back to the source or corresponding journal article, if possible.

Our Editorial Team

Steve Fink

Editor-in-Chief

John Anderer

Associate Editor

Leave a Comment

183 Comments

  1. SecessionNow says:

    The committed Leftist population in the USA is around 30%. Of these, 100% are mentally ill.

  2. karl says:

    So frigging what? Let’s worry about us and get the wall built and guarded

  3. M S says:

    So do all members of Congress.

  4. Patechinois says:

    Perhaps they don’t engage in more substance abuse than the general population, but they have far less qualms about operating vehicles while under the influence than the LEGAL population. If you don’t care about a country’s laws, why worry about drinking and driving?

  5. Brian washere says:

    The real mental disorder is found in the moron leftists that want them here. Liberalism is indeed a mental disorder. But much like the camel humpers the left needs more voters.

  6. jabusse says:

    only 1/4. Hell those in the DNC are 50% at least. They are so screwed up they think normal is abnormal.

  7. Skimommy says:

    “The researchers believe that a number of stressors, including stigmatization, language barriers, fear of deportation, family separation, and discrimination, are culprits for the deteriorated mental health of many migrants”
    Easily solved, go home where there is no stigmatization, language barrier, fear of deportation, family separation or discrimination.

  8. pcrunamock says:

    this surprises who?

  9. Shears-of-Atropos says:

    Dishonesty precedes feelings of guilt. Duh! When you know you’re guilty and the cops are looking for you, guess what? You are uncomfortable because you might be caught.

    Is that my fault? Or yours?

  10. Jim Dandy says:

    Let’s see… rape trees, muggings, paying a thug (coyote) your entire life savings… I don’t see how that causes mental disorders!!!
    /s

  11. Jack Benimble says:

    No doubt foreign governments are dumping their troubled citizens in the US.

  12. kettlecorn says:

    Now wonder the open borders democrat party loves them so much, they are mentally ill just like most liberal democrats.

  13. DemocrotchWackery says:

    Search for and read works by Nicolai Sennels to better understand the Arabic/Muslim mind. Much twisted psyches there.

  14. Elapoides says:

    Makes sense, especially since they all vote democrat…liberalism is a genetic defect expressed as a mental disorder.

  15. Mandy says:

    What is happening now is just what Castro did to the US in past decades. He emptied his mental hospitals and jails onto the US. A year ago or less, I read that Cuba was flying people to Mexico so they could come to the US through our southern border. This was around the time Obama visited Cuba making out like it was a big deal that a US president visited this enemy country, Cuba.

    Who in their right mind thinks that Cuba was releasing their best and brightest to come to the US. Not I.

  16. Piquerish says:

    I’d say the mental illness percentage of liberal idiots who do everything possible to aid and abet the violation of our borders and immigration laws is considerably higher than that of the invaders they hope to turn into state-dependent liberal “voters,” legal or otherwise. Liberalism is, after all, a mental disorder.

  17. Jerry Brickley says:

    Only a quarter???? You gotta be kiddin’ me.
    90% are retards.

    1. randy s says:

      Every time I use the R word, the post is held for moderation. Even when it’s a joke about Never going full R word.

  18. eggpoacher says:

    .

    Once again, there’s no mention of the DEA stating that most illegal drugs come through the Mexican border and the Mexican drug cartels are the biggest criminal threat in the United States. They’re silent on the MS-13 gang ravaging streets and neighborhoods throughout LA and America. Instead, we’re always given a tranquil picture of people living in the shadows and doing jobs Americans do not want to do. All this in spite of tens of millions of Americans not having jobs and half of immigrants receiving government programs. There’s no multi-billion dollar figures showing the draining expense on this nation. I don’t recall any articles of visa abuse or foreign entities like China, abusing our educational system. To understand the future, study the past. Throughout history, all multi-ethnic democracies have broken up; almost always in cataclysmic violence.

  19. cneuha3 says:

    I would think it to be natural to be depressed, scared, and anxious when you live illegally in a country that wants to find you and deport you back to the poverty ridden failed society that you came from.