MENTAL PAIN

Mental pain, also called psychological pain or psychological pain or mental suffering, refers to the emotional or psychological distress that a person may feel. Unlike physical pain, which is associated with unpleasant bodily sensations, mental pain concerns the emotional and cognitive aspects of the human experience.

It is important to emphasize that mental pain is a serious reality and that mental well-being is just as crucial as physical health. But also to recognize that it is an essential component of mental health and that it requires appropriate attention and support.

Sadness, feeling of emptiness, suffering, loss of hope, dereliction, affliction, bitterness, injury, burning, sorrow, heartbreak, desolation, mourning, aching, hell, trial, pain, repentance, tugging, torture, torment, distress, devastation , nightmare, the list could go on endlessly. Within this litany, each of the terms designates something significantly different in the range of emotional experiences that the suffering patient goes through.

MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES IN FRANCE SINCE 2021

1/5 French people suffer from mental disorders, or 13 million people

While effective prevention and treatment options exist, most individuals with mental disorders do not have access to effective care. This is essentially due to a density of psychiatrists for
100,000 inhabitants very uneven across the entire French territory.

Many people with mental disorders are victims of stigmatization which delays access to care, impacts self-esteem, reduces access to housing, employment, leisure activities and alters social relationships.

HERE IS SOME NUMBERS RECORDED BY THE FRENCH MUTUALITY OBSERVATORY IN 2021

THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PSYCHIC DISORDERS
(quantified data dating from 2019)

Anxiety disorders (Anxiety, phobias and OCD)

In 2019, 301 million people had an anxiety disorder, including 58 million children and adolescents. Anxiety disorders are characterized by excessive fear and worry and related behavioral problems. Symptoms are severe enough to cause significant distress or major functional impairments. There are several types of anxiety disorders: generalized anxiety disorder (manifested by excessive worry), panic disorder (manifested by panic attacks), social anxiety disorder (manifested by excessive fear and worry in social situations), separation anxiety disorder (manifested by fear or anxiety at the idea of being separated from people with whom one has a deep emotional connection), etc. Effective psychological treatments exist and, depending on the age and severity of the disorder, drug treatments can also be considered.

Health systems and social support

Health systems do not yet adequately respond to the needs of people with mental disorders and face a glaring lack of resources. Across the world, there is a gaping gap between treatment availability and therapeutic needs. What’s more, the treatments administered are often of poor quality. For example, only 29% of people with psychosis and a third of people with depression receive formal mental health care.

Furthermore, individuals living with a mental disorder need social support, particularly to form and maintain personal, family and social relationships. They may also need help with training, finding employment and housing, and taking part in other interesting activities.