Girls and young women are particularly affected, the analysis found.
France’s youth mental health crisis is getting worse, according to a new study that finds young people are seeking mental health services at far higher rates than before the coronavirus pandemic.
As a result of the pandemic, European countries are grappling with an increase in young people suffering from anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other mental health conditions.
Today, one in seven young people around the world struggles with their mental health, and France is no exception, according to a study of around 20 million people under the age of 25. JAMA network open journal.
Between 2016 and 2023, the rates of mental health visits, hospitalizations, and prescriptions for drugs such as antidepressants, mood stabilizers, and antipsychotics increased “significantly” among young people in France, with the spike due to the pandemic. A study led by France later found that this was especially true. A researcher at the University of Aix-Marseille in France.
“The situation in France is not an isolated case, and COVID-19 has highlighted the flaws in our mental health system,” Marcel Marchetti from the advocacy group Mental Health Europe told Euronews Health.
“The rise in drug use, especially among young people, is worrying, especially given the over-medicalization of mental health issues.”
gender difference
Teenage girls and young women in France appear to be particularly suffering.
During the study period, girls, young women, teens, and young adults were more likely to receive an outpatient psychiatric consultation, while girls, young women, and youth overall were more likely to be hospitalized for a suicide attempt.
Prescriptions for almost all types of mental health drugs increased for girls and young women, especially in the post-pandemic period, the study found.
The number of boys and young men also increased. prescription of antidepressants, Drugs to treat alcohol dependence and methylphenidate (a stimulant used to treat ADHD) also increased, but the increases were less pronounced among girls and women.
Researchers said social media may help explain the differences between boys and girls.
“Compared to boys, girls are more likely to use social media more frequently, be more exposed to cyberbullying, and cause interpersonal stress, which is a common factor in suicide attempts and depression,” the researchers said. .
The French government is experimenting No smartphones allowed Activities and support at junior high schools EU-wide restrictions on social media before the age of 15.
Meanwhile, then-Prime Minister Michel Barnier, who was appointed by President Emmanuel Macron before being sacked last month, said mental health should be a top priority for the French government by 2025.
Young people in France also suffer from disparities in access to care, with the number of child psychiatrists decreasing by 34% between 2010 and 2022, according to the National Audit Office.
advertisement“Actual access to mental health support is problematic,” Alex Quinn, policy director at advocacy group European Youth Forum, told Euronews Health.
The mental health dilemma of young people in Europe
Notably, the study found that prescriptions for drugs used to treat serious mental health conditions, such as lithium and clozapine, were becoming more frequent for children as young as 6 years old. did.
Researchers said the increase was “particularly significant” and may indicate that diagnoses of bipolar disorder are on the rise in France.
Traumatic events or periods of high stress can trigger bipolar disorder during the teenage years, and the condition, which causes extreme mood swings between mania and depression, is common worldwide. It seems to be a target.
advertisementOverall, the findings are consistent with previous research suggesting that the burden on the mental health of young people in Europe is significant.
a Danish research While we found increased levels of psychiatric diagnoses and psychotropic drug use during the pandemic; in spainBetween September 2020 and March 2021, the number of suicide attempts among adolescent girls increased by 195 percent.
Besides social media, family relationships and financial stress during the pandemic may be contributing to the increase, the researchers said.
Quinn also pointed to economic insecurity, political and social instability, and a sense of not having control over the future as potential factors contributing to poor mental health among young people.
advertisement“Young people are not a homogeneous group,” Quinn said. “Maybe young people from certain backgrounds and from certain social classes are much more at risk than others.”
If you are having suicidal thoughts and need advice, contact Befrienders Worldwide, an international organization with helplines in 32 countries. visit befrienders.org To find your location phone number.
