Since 2017, twice as many suicidal thoughts among 18-24 year olds, reveals a Public Health France barometer

Les 18-24 ans sont de plus en plus exposés au risque suicidaire. PHOTO PIXABAY

On the occasion of National Suicide Prevention Day, this Monday, February 5, Public Health France is publishing a barometer of the prevalence of suicidal thoughts among adults. If the figures are stable, with 4.2% of suicidal thoughts over the past year, the study confirms an underlying trend: a significant increase in suicidal thoughts, which have doubled since 2014, and suicide attempts among 18-24 year olds, as a result of increased unhappiness during the Covid years.

This is a “basic trend,” observes Public Health France (SPF). On the occasion of National Suicide Prevention Day, this Monday, February 5, the organization notes the persistent increase, over the past ten years, in suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts. suicides among 18-24 year olds. 

Young adults are clearly the most exposed to risk: 7.2% of them have had suicidal thoughts or acts, while the figures for the general population are stable in 2021, with 4.2% of adults exposed. More precisely, it is established that among those aged 18-85, 6.8% of people declared &amp ;quot;one suicide attempt in their lifetime and 0.5% in the past year, indicates SPF.

Always according to SPF, "suicidal thoughts have thus more than doubled since 2014 among 18-24 year olds (from 3.3% to 7.2% in 2021), suicide attempts declared over the course of their lives have increased by 50% compared to 2017 (going from 6.1% to 9.2% in 2021) and those declared during the last 12 months, by more than 60% (going from 0.7% in 2017 to 1, 1% in 2021)."

The Covid years were a turning point : "The high prevalences of suicide attempts and suicidal ideation observed among young adults constitute an important change since& ;rsquo;they were lower than or comparable to other age groups of the population in the health barometers which preceded the Covid-19 pandemic.

To achieve these results, SPF interviewed a random sample of 24,514 people aged 18 to 85 residing in mainland France and 6,519 residing in overseas departments and regions.

Little differences depending on region

More precisely, it is established that among those aged 18-85, 6.8% of people have declared "a suicide attempt during their life and 0.5% over the past year.

There is no significant difference between regions. In Occitanie, 3.6% of the population (2,292 people) had suicidal thoughts during the last 12 months, and 6.8%& ;nbsp;attempted suicide during his life. 

In a press release, SPF asks the public authorities to react: "This study confirms the deterioration in the mental health of young adults observed elsewhere based on emergency room and hospitalization data. In parallel with the implementation of the national suicide prevention strategy and the strengthening of support systems, a better understanding of the mechanisms which affect the mental health of the youngest since the Covid-19 pandemic has emerged. necessary in order to strengthen prevention policies.

"Among the people who had attempted suicide, only a little more than half declared having benefited from follow-up after their release from the hospital. rsquo;hospital", SPF note, which recalls the interest of the VigilanS monitoring system, "deployed in France for several years", and initiated on a pilot basis in Nimes and Montpellier.

An emergency number: 31 14

In France, the latest consolidated figures (2017) show 8,366 deaths by suicide per year. If "the overall rate of deaths by suicide has been falling since 2001", it remains one of the highest in Europe.

In the event of suicidal thoughts, a free and confidential emergency number is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week: this is the ;nbsp;31 14.