A sharp increase in anxiety and depressive symptoms reported by the French
The CoviPrev survey carried out repeatedly by Public Health France since March 2020 attests to a deterioration in the mental health of the population. The latest results available show that anxiety and depression are maintained at high levels: in wave 22 (March 15-17) 31% of those questioned presented anxious or depressive states.
The health crisis also has a significant impact on sleep, life satisfaction and the increase in suicidal thoughts (9% vs. 5% according to the 2017 Health Barometer).
These results confirm the importance of mobilizing remote assistance systems and healthcare professionals to facilitate the detection and early management of psychological disorders.
“We are experiencing this exceptional situation linked to the COVID-19 epidemic for a long time. Exceptional also because to slow down the epidemic, our whole life is turned upside down: at the economic level, at the social level, at the emotional level. About a third of the French population expresses the symptoms of a depressive or anxious state. This is the epidemic behind the pandemic. This requires strong and lasting public health responses to detect and deal with mental suffering using remote assistance devices adapted to prevent the development of symptoms and their chronicization. “ Geneviève Chêne, Director General of Public Health France
Remote assistance devices for people in psychological distress
Attending doctors, mental health professionals (psychiatrists, psychologists, psychotherapists) and associations are essential resources for responding to people in pain and reducing the psychological impact of this epidemic. Public Health France and the Ministry of Solidarity and Health are strengthening their desire to promote access to all available resources on the subject of mental health and ensure the dissemination of information allowing access to these services to the largest number.
A Toll-free telephone number 0 800 130 000 was created by the government to answer all questions related to COVID-19 (containment, travel rules, etc.) and to direct people who express the need to listen and provide psychological support.
In December 2020, the CoviPrev survey made it possible to show that the existing assistance systems are little known by the general public: only 17% of those questioned knew that the 0 800 130 000 gives access to a psychological support service while 37% said they were interested in a helpline or helpline for people with anxiety and depression and 43% felt they were poorly informed about the symptoms, causes and treatments of anxiety and depression.
Launch of an unprecedented campaign dedicated to mental health: Talking about it is already taking care of yourself
As of today, Public Health France and the Ministry of Solidarity and Health are launching a major campaign aimed at the general public. This device includes a digital component to reach the youngest, as well as 3 radio spots. It will be supplemented by a spot broadcast on television and in FLIGHT (video on mobile computer or tablet) from April 20.
The goal of the campaign is to help identify the main symptoms of anxiety (irritability, feeling of panic) and depression (sadness, loss of interest, energy) as well as sleep problems (often associated with anxiety and depression). ) through scenes of everyday life reminding everyone that we don’t have to be sick with COVID-19 to feel bad. These anxiety and depressive symptoms are to a certain extent a normal psychological response to the situation we are experiencing (fear of illness, economic difficulties, reduction in social relations, access to leisure, etc.). However, it is important to be able to talk about it, especially with professionals when these symptoms are intense, set in over time and prevent us from carrying out our activities of daily living.
Although the issue of mental health has emerged a lot in recent months due to the health crisis, this subject is still unknown and taboo for many French people. Public Health France has also endeavored to find the right tone to address this issue and has opted for an intimate and empathetic tone, with TV and radio spots where the emotion is palpable but restrained, without trivialization or excessive dramatization of the subject.
And it is on the message “Talking about it is already taking care of yourself” that all the messages end: the tone is benevolent and invites you to talk to those around you or to your health professional. It also recalls the existence of the toll free number 0 800 130 000 and the site Psycom.org, information site offering reliable, accessible and independent information (“understand”; “orient yourself”; “act”) on mental health and psychological disorders as well as specific content on mental health and COVID-19 . .
The results of the CoviPrev survey show a deterioration in mental health among all those questioned, but it is even more marked in certain categories and in particular among young people aged 18-24 and in particular among students.
Particular attention is paid to this target, in order to direct them towards Youth Health Thread, an anonymous and free service for young people aged 12 to 25, offering a helpline, 0 800 235 236, accessible 7 days a week from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., and a website providing information, a forum, a chat, and an orientation towards support structures.
The targeted device includes video banners on the web as well as a variation of the radio spot featuring two friends, in the form of Snapchat stories and Facebook posts.
Finally, a space dedicated to mental health on the website of Public Health France presents the data available on the mental health of French people and lists all the remote assistance systems, classified by populations (children, students, elderly people, people with disabilities, health professionals, etc.) or thematic ( psychological distress, violence, bereavement, addictions, parenthood….).
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