more and more depressions

Covid-19 is damaging our morale. Since the onset of the coronavirus crisis in France, more and more people are suffering from psychological pain. In his speech on Tuesday, November 17, the director general of health, Jérôme Salomon, notes that the number of people in a state of depression has doubled between the end of September and the beginning of November. “This increase is observed in the general population but is particularly marked among people with financial problems or with a history of psychological disorders “he stressed.

How to protect our mental health?

Will mental health services be able to take care of this surplus of patients? Last September, prof. Antoine Pelissolo, psychiatrist, university professor and hospital doctor (PU-PH University Paris-Est Créteil) explained to Why doctor : “We should also increase the psychiatric nursing staff within the care facilities, because I fear that saturation will soon be reached. Teleconsulting may allow for some cases to be treated and to unblock patient flow, but it does not. Do not replace a face to face. face, the interactions are much less rich. “

The director of health recognizes the stressful and anxious aspect of the current health situation. He gave some recommendations to the population, especially for those suffering from psychological disorders: “keep in touch with those around them, help those in need, not stay connected to the news all day, limit the consumption of alcohol and tobacco, do not hesitate to consult a professional “.

[#COVID19] It is normal to feel anxious or stressed during this time. To identify a state of mental distress, 4 questions to ask yourself ⤵

Don’t hesitate to ask for help:
???? Find all help at: https://t.co/r3j7O8Nlx1 pic.twitter.com/rOX5l69zb6

– Ministry of Solidarity and Health (@MinSoliSante) November 17, 2020

Green spaces, a tool to preserve our mental health

Taking advantage of the authorized time to breathe fresh air seems to be beneficial even in this period of epidemic. In Ecological applications, researchers show that access to green spaces reduces the psychological impact of Covid-19. This Japanese study was carried out thanks to the answers of 3,000 adults to a survey whose questions concerned both their psychological state but also their relationship with nature: their use of green spaces and their view from their window. Researchers find that the more often people go to green spaces and the more they have access to the view of nature from their homes, the better they feel. This results in better self-confidence, a greater sense of happiness, and lower levels of depression and loneliness.

A kilometer around the house: a discriminating measure?

These positive effects of nature on our morale accentuate the significant inequalities: in France, the one-hour authorized exit each day is limited to a radius of one kilometer around the house, but not everyone has access to a green space in this area . Tuesday 17 November, Europa Ecologie – The Greens and the Ecology Generation have kidnapped the Council of State to ask for the abolition of this limit. For them, the state must “take measures to ensure equal access to nature for all French peopleThey deplore the environmental inequalities caused by measuring the kilometer. The Council of State could rule within 48 hours.