TITLE:
Psychotic Disorder and Migration: A Case Study of a Returning Migrant
AUTHORS:
Hugo Hermann Bohongwe Divahe, Christian Eyoum, Yvette Arol Kouayim, Abibatou Guene, Sokhna Seck
KEYWORDS:
Migration, Psychopathology, Schizophrenia, DSM-5, Transcultural
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Psychiatry,
Vol.16 No.4,
October
15,
2026
ABSTRACT: Introduction: Complex and precarious migration processes increase the risk of psychological distress. Among exiles, psychotic disorders have a higher prevalence than in the general population, but their management is frequently hampered by diagnostic biases in a cross-cultural context. Objective: To report the clinical case of a migrant who returned to Senegal, in order to analyze the impact of the migration journey on the trajectory and sequential resolution of the diagnosis. Case Presentation: Mr. I. F., a 38-year-old tailor, experienced a 13-year migration journey marked by trauma (forced labor in Libya, a shipwreck at sea) and extreme precariousness (living on the streets in Spain). Upon his forced return, he presented with a combination of depressed mood, delusions of persecution, and auditory-verbal hallucinations. A major depressive disorder with psychotic features (DSM-5) was initially diagnosed and treated with a triple therapy regimen (fluoxetine, haloperidol, chlorpromazine). Following a six-month interruption in outpatient treatment and a relapse characterized by pure dissociative symptoms, the diagnosis was revised to schizophrenia according to the full DSM-5 criteria. The patient was successfully stabilized with haloperidol monotherapy. Discussion: This case illustrates the interaction between individual psychological vulnerability and cumulative environmental stressors (pressure from family redistribution, trauma, urban isolation). The longitudinal course underscores the need for a dynamic diagnosis in transcultural psychiatry to avoid overdiagnosis and tailor therapeutic strategies. Conclusion: Taking into account the patient’s life story and migration experience is essential for refining the symptomatology, making an accurate diagnosis, and facilitating the reintegration of returning patients.