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Readers' tips: What should you do if you're suffering from depression in France?

The Local France
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Readers' tips: What should you do if you're suffering from depression in France?
Photo: Depositphotos

Each week The Local asks its readers to share their tips about various aspects of living in France. This week we asked their opinion on what you should do if you're suffering from depression in France. Here's what they had to say.

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Many of the foreigners who move to France are making their dreams come true by moving here but it can, for some, turn into a nightmare. 

And while the same can to some degree be said for expats moving to any country abroad, one factor that causes many foreigners' dreams to fade on this side of the Channel is that the romantic image people have of their life in France can be very different to the reality they end up with. 

Difficulties with the language and making friends, which are often linked, financial troubles and the strain moving abroad can put on your relationship with any partner can all affect your mental well-being when you move here.

And, of course, there are those who have struggled with depression on and off their whole lives. 

Many people don't know what to do when they find themselves in this situation or how to go about seeking help to get better.

With that in mind, we asked our readers for their tips on how and where to seek support and particularly if they knew of any help available to people who aren't fluent in French. 

Reader Jonathan Hesford agreed that the language barrier can present a real issue when it comes to getting help.
 
"It's definitely a problem. Non-French speakers have a hard enough time with dentists and general practitioners," he said. 
 
And when it comes to mental health, language and understanding are far more important. There are psychologues who speak English but it's not common and their ability to help in English is severely limited by their language skills."
 
Other illnesses, such as cancer, have good English-language support groups. I'm not aware of one for mental health. Maybe its time one was created. There is definitely a need as isolation, financial stress, administrative pressures and foreign culture all add to pressure on our mental health."

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Clearly the language barrier can present a daunting hurdle for many foreigners in France both in terms of being a barrier to making friends and integrating, as well as seeking help if you find yourself struggling with symptoms of depression which could have been caused by those factors in the first place. 
 
Reader Kate Boyd Coughlan who lives in France suggested a website called Counselling in France as a good place to start if you feel like you need to speak to someone. 

Counselling In France offers information about qualified therapists and life coaches who provide a confidential service in an area near you, as well as which languages they speak.

Helplines in English (and French)

They also have a list of helplines you can call -- both French and English -- if you'd rather start by talking to someone over the phone. 

Some of the helplines listed are based in the UK and while there is, of course, nothing to stop you calling those if you'd like to speak to someone in English, they may not be as well positioned to advise you on the next course of action if you'd like to seek medical help while living in France.

One of the services available in English but based in France which could come in useful is SOS Help, an English-language listening helpline and a partner of the UK Samaritans, which you can call everyday from 3 pm - 11 pm. 

Photo: Depositphotos

A volunteer from the service told The Local: “For some it just doesn't turn out to be the great life that they thought they would have.

"People sell up, move to France with the impression that their French, which maybe they learned in school, will just come back to the them once they have arrived."
 
They think it will be just like at home but with people speaking in a cute accent. But the reality brings a lot of disillusionment.”
 
 
 
Seeking medical help

If you decide that you would like to pursue medical help, you can visit your GP, tell them how you're feeling and ask for a referral to a psychiatre (psychiatrist) or psychologue (psychologist) both of which are commonly referred to as a 'psy' in French. 

Just like other health services in France, psychiatry is partially reimbursed by the French State and some of the rest of the fees may be covered by your top-up insurance (mutuelle).

Once you have a referral, you can find a psychiatrist in your area on Doctolib which also helpfully lists which languages they speak. 

Meanwhile, if you see a psychologist (psychologue) they will be able to offer talking therapy but will not be able to prescribe medicine and their services are not always reimbursed by the state like other health services. 

It's important to be aware that getting the referral in the first place so be aware that it may take some perseverance. 

Reader Laura Vavz pointed out that it is not always a simple thing to get the initial referral (see tweet below).

 

Another reader however had a more positive experiencing, telling The Local that she "got a contact for an English-speaking psychologist from my university, then I got a recommendation to an English-speaking psychiatrist". 

So, if you're studying in France or working for a big company it could be worth your while to find out whether the organisation has its own psychologist who can advise you on what to do next. 

You can also find lists of psychologists who will come to your home to offer their services. 

One reader suggested simply searching 'psychologue a domicile' in Google which we did and several lists came up, including the Association Française des Psychologues A Domicile which has the contact details of psychologists who make home visits in various areas of France. 

In France a person commits suicide every hour, so what needs to be done?Photo: Zehun Jiang

Remember that you are not alone

It's important to remember that if you are struggling with anxiety or depression in France, you are not alone. 
 
Several readers wrote to us either saying they had been surprised by the troubles they had had when they moved to France or how it was unsurprising just how many people go through them. 
 
"The fact is that if you realise your dream and you then become depressed, it can be much worse as there is no longer something ‘better’ to dream of in the future," said Don Lang.

"We all take our heads with us, so any problems are carried along to our new place. Moving doesn’t help."

And reader Kate Boyd Coughlan urged people struggling with depression in France to think twice before packing up and returning home. 

"I think the decision to leave or stay will depend on the individual. For example, if you have a strong support network here, with good, supportive friends and family, with none of that back in the UK (for whatever reason) then staying would be preferable."
 
The Local has received some recommendations of psychiatrists and psychologists based in Paris and Nantes. Please contact us at [email protected] if you would like us to pass on their details. 

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Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.

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Anonymous 2018/11/07 16:04
Hey Boggy, what a horrible, nasty thing to say.<br />People like you are so unpleasant - I wish you wouldn't bother commenting on here.
Anonymous 2018/11/07 07:44
Just go back to your little island and give the health system a break from all the scrounging British.

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