Table 2.

Themes and subthemes

Theme	Subtheme
Living with fear and guilt	Living with different kinds of fears Fear of rejection and difficulties trusting others Deep feelings of guilt Feelings of self-blame and shame
Sorrow and pain over what one has lost	Losing family and friends Rejection, loneliness and isolation Void and emptiness in life Sorrow over the sacrifices made
Broken as a human being	Mental health problems and mental illness Psycho-somatic symptoms and physical illness Experiences of trauma and violence Substance abuse and suicidal thoughts
Lifelong process of building a new identity	Living between two different worlds Identity confusion and identity crises Finding one’s true self and new ways of looking at the world Building a new life is a lifelong process
A life of freedom and joy	Experiences of joy, happiness and well-being Living with a sense of freedom and relief Feelings of empowerment, strength and courage A new world opened up