Does just imagining yourself in the waiting room worry you? You are not alone: a new IPSOS study for Qare, released on March 29, 2023, reveals it 80% of French people affected by a mental health problem do not consult. The impression of wasting time, the cost of the sessions being too high, minimizing one’s condition… there are many obstacles that dissuade us from crossing the threshold of a specialist.
The mental health of the French still at half mast
However, this new survey is in line with the latest data from the health barometer, namely the CoviPrev survey, which has revealed the harmful impact of the pandemic on the mental health of the French. According to IPSOS, ” 61% of French people ask themselves questions, feel bad or feel worried in their daily life about a mental health problem ». Among the widely cited concerns are finances (for 21% of those concerned), health (14%) and family (14%).
Despite this, only 1 in 5 people say they have ever consulted a mental health professional.
Women subjected to more brakes
These figures mainly reveal the extent of the taboo that still surrounds mental health issues today. Many hurdles emerge from the IPSOS survey. First of all, 43% of respondents do not consult because they think their problems are not serious enough or that they can deal with them on their own. A figure that rises to 49% for women, more inclined to self-censorship. For Fanny Jacq, a psychiatrist, it is a ” a sort of imposter syndrome against the shrink “. The specialist nevertheless recalls having ” there are no bad reasons to consult about his mental health “.
In second place, the financial aspect is a barrier for 34% of respondents”, in a context where the issues of purchasing power and inflation are predominant in the life of the French “. Women, who earn less than their peers, are doubly penalized: they are 62.8% give up the consultations for economic reasons.
The study also reveals the existence of many psychological factors: a bad past experience with a professional (16%), the refusal to talk about their privacy (15%), especially among men (18%), the fear of taking the plunge (14%), of spending too much time in consultation and/or of never seeing the end of it ( 14%).
Source: Madmoizelle
Mary Crossley is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. She is a seasoned journalist who is dedicated to delivering the latest news to her readers. With a keen sense of what’s important, Mary covers a wide range of topics, from politics to lifestyle and everything in between.
