In response to war, millions of Ukrainian citizens have fled their homeland for safety. Many are coping with immense mental and sometimes physical anguish.
If you are looking for an expert to speak specifically about conflict and mental health, please consider Dr. Amir Afkhami.
Dr. Afkhami planned and helped with the implementation of the State Department funded Iraq Mental Health Initiative which seeks to rebuild Iraq's mental health delivery system. He can speak directly to the long-term effects of war on the human psyche.
In an interview with the Washington Post on this issue, Dr. Afkhami said that experiencing war firsthand and resettling in an unfamiliar home can trigger acute psychological disorders such as anxiety and depression.
“Your identity, your family and your place in society — all of that has been restructured.”
Dr. Afkami holds a joint appointment in the Departments of Psychiatry and Behavior Sciences and the Department of Global Health at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. He is also the Associate Director of psychiatry residency training. Prior to joining GW in 2007, he was a lecturer in the global history of public health at Yale University. He has also been an advisor to the U.S. State Department, the U.S. military, and the World Bank on issues pertaining to public health and mental health.
If you are looking for context on this matter or would like to speak with Professor Afkhami, please contact GW Media Relations at GWMedia
gwu [dot] edu (GWMedia[at]gwu[dot]edu) or 202-994-6460.