Hundreds of refugee children in Sweden, who have fled with their families from extreme trauma, have become afflicted with 'uppgivenhetssyndrom,' or Resignation Syndrome. Facing deportation, they withdraw from the world into a coma-like state, as if frozen, for months, or even years.
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This documentary sheds light on the rarely known Resignation Syndrome affecting refugee children in Sweden, a mental condition lacking official recognition from WHO. It presents emotional and psychological impacts on families, while raising questions about skepticism toward the illness's authenticity. Although informative, the film could benefit from expert interviews or scientific studies to deepen credibility. It portrays the issue with empathy and structure, though it misses perspectives from families denied asylum. Overall, the documentary offers valuable insight into a complex and controversial topic. Read the full review here: (Indonesian version : alunauwie.com) and (English version : uwiepuspita.com)
Karen was an engaging and athletic young lad who liked messing about at school and swimming until his body went into something called "Resignation Syndrome". Clinicians are unsure just what triggers it or for how long it will last, but it essentially puts the person into a comatose and unresponsive state. He isn't alone in suffering from this condition, but it does appear to be limited to those recently arriving from the wartorn Middle East and also to those whose future in Sweden is in some sort of doubt. Using some archive and interviews with his parents and with his doctors, we try to find out a little more about this disease and at the same time appreciate something of the limbo in which his and many other families live whilst their residence applications are being processed - all against a growing popular sentiment of anti-immigration. Did you see "Electric Malady" (2022)? In some ways this reminded me of that, although this was made before, in that I wasn't quite sure if I could believe my eyes. Is this human form of hibernation really a genuine illness or are these people so desperate to remain in the safety of Sweden that they will say/do anything it takes? Hmmm. I wasn't entirely convinced and so I'd recommend you take this with a tiny pinch of salt especially as there is scant independent medical evidence to support or refute what we are being shown here.
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