A sharp increase in anxiety and depression symptoms reported by the French

The CoviPrev survey, conducted repeatedly by Santé publique France since March 2020, confirms a deterioration in the population’s mental health. The latest available results show that anxiety and depression remain at high levels: in wave 22 (March 15–17), 31% of respondents reported experiencing anxiety or depression.

The health crisis is also having a significant impact on sleep, life satisfaction, and an increase in suicidal thoughts (9% vs. 5% according to the 2017 Health Barometer).

These results confirm the importance of mobilizing remote support services and healthcare professionals to facilitate the early identification and management of psychological disorders.

“We are enduring this exceptional situation linked to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is exceptional because, in order to curb the pandemic, our entire lives have been turned upside down: economically, socially, and emotionally. About one-third of the French population is experiencing symptoms of depression or anxiety. This is the epidemic behind the pandemic. It requires strong and sustainable public health responses to detect and treat psychological distress through appropriate remote support systems to prevent the development of symptoms and their chronicity.” Geneviève Chêne, Director General of Santé publique France

Remote support services for people experiencing psychological distress

Primary care physicians, mental health professionals (psychiatrists, psychologists, psychotherapists), and community organizations are essential resources for supporting those in distress and reducing the psychological impact of this epidemic. Santé publique France and the Ministry of Solidarity and Health are strengthening their commitment to promoting access to all available mental health resources and ensuring that information on how to access these services reaches as many people as possible.

A toll-free hotline, 0 800 130 000, has been established by the government to answer all questions related to COVID-19 (lockdown, travel restrictions, etc.) and to refer those who express a need for it to counseling and psychological support.

In December 2020, the CoviPrev survey revealed that existing support services are largely unknown to the general public: only 17% of respondents knew that 0 800 130 000 provides access to psychological support services, while 37% said they were interested in a helpline or support line for people experiencing anxiety and depression, and 43% felt poorly informed about the symptoms, causes, and treatments for anxiety and depression.

Launch of a groundbreaking campaign dedicated to mental health: Talking about it is already part of the healing process

Starting today, Santé publique France and the Ministry of Solidarity and Health are launching a major campaign aimed at the general public. This initiative includes a digital component to reach younger audiences, as well as three radio spots. It will be supplemented by a spot airing on television and on mobile devices (videos on smartphones or tablets) starting April 20.

The campaign’s goal is to help people recognize the main symptoms of anxiety (irritability, feelings of panic) and depression (sadness, loss of interest, loss of energy) as well as sleep problems (often associated with anxiety and depression) through scenes from everyday life, reminding everyone that we don’t have to be sick with COVID-19 to feel unwell. These anxiety and depression symptoms are, to a certain extent, a normal psychological response to the situation we are experiencing (fear of the disease, economic difficulties, reduced social interactions, limited access to leisure activities, etc.). However, it is important to be able to talk about them, particularly with professionals, when these symptoms become intense, persist over time, and prevent us from carrying out our daily activities.

Although the issue of mental health has come to the forefront in recent months due to the health crisis, this topic remains largely misunderstood and taboo for many French people. Therefore, Santé publique France has focused on finding the right tone to address this issue and has opted for an intimate and empathetic approach, with TV and radio spots where emotion is palpable yet restrained, without trivializing or overly dramatizing the subject.

And all the messages conclude with the message “Talking about it is already part of the healing process”: the tone is caring and encourages people to talk to their loved ones or their healthcare professional. It also reminds the public of the toll-free number 0 800 130 000 and the website Psycom.org, an information site offering reliable, accessible, and independent information (“understand”; “navigate”; “take action”) 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 decline in mental health among all respondents, but this decline is even more pronounced in certain groups, particularly among young people aged 18–24 and especially among students.

Special attention is being paid to this group to direct them to Fil Santé Jeunes, a free and anonymous service for young people aged 12 to 25, offering a helpline, 0 800 235 236, available 7 days a week from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., and a website providing information, a forum, a chat feature, and referrals to support services.

The targeted campaign includes video banners on the web as well as a version of the radio spot featuring two friends, in the form of Snapchat Stories and Facebook posts.

Finally, a section dedicated to mental health on the Santé publique France website presents available data on the mental health of the French population and lists all remote support services, categorized by demographic group (children, students, seniors, people with disabilities, healthcare professionals, etc.) or by topic (psychological distress, violence, grief, addiction, parenting, etc.).