Ms Serwani was born in Kurdistan, Iraq, in 1987 during one of the darkest periods in Kurdish history.
It was when former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein’s notorious ethnic-cleansing campaign, known as the Anfal, took place.
Ms Sherwani was only 12 when her family set off on the dangerous journey to Australia, passing through several countries.
When they reached Indonesia, they got on a small fishing boat bound for Australia.
The journey took seven long days, and she recalls that the small boat would often rock vigorously from side to side, causing panic among the asylum seekers on board, particularly the children who would start screaming each time the boat seemed like it would tip over.
Soon after arriving in Darwin, Ms Sherwani and her family were transferred to the Port Hedland Detention Centre in Western Australia.
Years later and after receiving asylum in Australia, she tells SBS Kurdish that living in one of Melbourne's coronavirus hotspot postcodes under lockdown, has evoked memories of war and the time she spent with her family in detention.
“At the detention centre whenever there was an assault on workers, there would be a lockdown, for obvious reasons,” she recalls.
“[During the current lockdown] it is like we are displaced, but at the same time we are kept at our own homes…it feels like we are all imprisoned, but at the same time we are safe…it is just so weird.”
These are feelings that are unfortunately common for people who have experienced displacement and trauma, says Hassan Saleh, a counsellor at the .
Mr Saleh says the symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can exacerbate when the sufferer is triggered with reminders of their traumatic experiences, or by experiencing stressful situations to the extent that they compromise their coping abilities.
"One can expect an increase in the intensity of PTSD symptoms for any sufferer who finds COVID-19 situations and the measures to stop it spreading, remind them of their traumatic experiences or find the situation stressful and difficult to cope with - resulting in an increase their trauma symptoms," he says.
He affirms, as a result, refugees and asylum seekers who have experienced trauma in the countries that they have come from are “more vulnerable than the rest of the population”.
"PTSD affects their coping abilities. [For] refugee communities, measures of lockdown with the use of the police, in particular, can trigger PTSD symptoms for those whose trauma is caused by the security forces of their country or the countries they sought asylum in,” Mr Saleh says.
“One can also expect a surge in the symptoms of PTSD if the lockdown brings memories of the incarceration of the sufferer, whether in Australian Immigration Detention Centres, in countries of their own or the countries [where they sought] asylum."
Challenges for a first-time mother
Ms Sherwani gave birth to her first child nine months ago, and being in lockdown with a newborn baby without support from her extended family and friends, has not helped her situation.
“I have prayed and sometimes I have cried for help, but it hasn’t been there.
“Because whenever I’ve needed my mum to come over or my sister to give me a hand with something, or even my dad to come and drop something off at our place, we’ve had to stop ourselves because of the restrictions.”
Although she admits to being lucky not to have experienced postpartum depression, she feels "overwhelmed" by not being able to have had any time to take a break since birth.
Donna Sherwani with her new born baby. Source: Supplied
“I have to say that I’ve been lucky enough, not to have had negative feelings from the postpartum experience. But, given the current events, and what has happened since I have given birth to my child, and with the arrival of COVID-19, it hasn’t helped me."
LISTEN TO
How this mum copes with COVID-19 restrictions in Melbourne
SBS Kurdish
13:40
Keeping a positive outlook
Although her currently struggles with the awakening of past traumas and adjusting to life as a first-time mum, the former refugee tries to have a positive outlook.
“There are positives to be seen in this, of course, just look out the window seeing the greenery it just changes my perspective, I know that I am safe and I know that I can go out there anytime.
“Especially when I see someone walking outside...exercising outside, it just gives me the hope that I can be one of them.”
Donna Sherwani and her family. Source: Supplied
Methods to help during the lockdown
STARTTS counsellor Hassan Saleh says exercise at least three times a week, meditation and maintaining supportive relationships are effective measures to combat lockdown stress and depression.
"Exercises or just a good walking for around 40 minutes or more are effective, it does not need to be at a park. If that is not possible, it could be done on the street, if possible, in the backyard, or even inside the house. These are very good at reducing stress, anxiety and depression symptoms.
“All forms of meditation and breathing exercise are also recommended and known to help reduce signs of depression.
“It is also very important to keep good contacts with our social networks, if not physically, virtually can also be an alternative. Having and maintaining healthy and supportive social relationships can improve our mental and physical wellbeing.”
The counsellor says there are several avenues for support when someone shows symptoms of PTSD.
The Forum of Australian Services for survivors of Torture and Trauma (FASSTT), which is the umbrella organisation for STARTTS, has services available in every state and territory.
"Any person who came to Australia either as a refugee, an asylum seeker, or a migrant who suffered traumatic experiences can access those services for individual or group counselling and other forms of support available at those services," Mr Saleh explains.
He also advises that alternatively, a family doctor or a general practitioner is the main point of contact for people to go to and explain their symptoms whenever they find themselves overwhelmed "by intrusive thoughts and memories of past traumatic experiences, recurrent nightmares related to those experiences, feeling on guard, fear, keyed up and tense, avoidance of thoughts, activities and feelings that remind them of their trauma and social withdrawal because of low tolerance, and if feeling blue and depressed".
LISTEN TO
Em dayke Kurde çon rojaney beser debat le katî qedexe tûndekanî COVID-19 da le Melbourne
SBS Kurdish
05:49
If you or anyone you know is feeling overwhelmed and finding it hard to cope due to the current crisis, counselling help is available at:
For health-related advice and questions, you can visit the national , or can call their helpline 24 hours, seven days a week on .
People in Australia must stay at least 1.5 metres away from others. Check your state’s restrictions on gathering limits.
If you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms, stay home and arrange a test by calling your doctor or contact the Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080.
