Public Health

Mental Health and Addiction: From Individual Suffering to Population-Wide Action – Maria Melchior

About one in five French people is affected by a mental health disorder each year. The COVID-19 health crisis has highlighted the importance of prevention and treatment, at a time when the WHO estimates that mental health will be the next major health challenge of the century. This challenge is more relevant than ever in France, where suicide rates and the use of psychotropic medications are high. Behind these findings, widely publicized as part of the 2025 National Cause, what exactly is mental health? Where do current definitions come from, and how have they evolved recently? What does this concept encompass, ranging from temporary symptoms of distress to severe psychiatric disorders? What does it not encompass? Are certain manifestations of psychological difficulties more common today than in the past? What are the main risk and protective factors, both individual and collective?

Established in partnership with the national agency Santé publique France, the Public Health Annual Chair is designed to promote excellence in research and intellectual debate at the highest level on public health issues.