Depression, Cancer,…These Triggers That Can Save

It was a Sunday evening, the TV was on TF1 when she heard Ström singing on the news: “I sometimes have suicidal thoughts and I’m not very proud of it. We sometimes believe that it’s better to remain silent. The only way these thoughts make us hell…” Sandra, 50, burst into tears.

“It shocked me: Strome put into words what I had experienced years earlier. At the time, I was ashamed and talked about it only to my therapist and not even to people close to me. This song shows that it can happen to anyone and I feel less alone. »If in Anglo-Saxon countries personalities do not hesitate to express themselves on mental health, in France this practice is still discreet. However, the stakes are high.

breaking taboos

Will the stars’ words help break the taboo? Jean-Victor Blanc, a psychiatrist at the Saint-Antoine hospital in Paris, is convinced of this. “When celebrities talk about a topic, it gives it a lot of visibility. When singer Selena Gomez or gymnast Simone Biles talk about their mental health, it helps refute preconceived ideas, for example that a person with a mental disorder is necessarily someone who is weak, The one who has failed in life and who does not hold any position in power. When a dreaming personality talks about his depression or bipolar disorder, it helps in demystifying some psychological disorders. ,

These speeches are popular among French people: 56% of them believe that when a public figure speaks about mental health, it helps to be better understood, and 59% believe that That then it is easier to understand (according to) the people around you. An Odoxa survey was conducted for DoctoLib and Pop&Psy, October 2023).

Mental health, a taboo still exists

It must be remembered: for seven out of ten French people, mental health is still a taboo subject. This is why Jean-Victor Blanc created the Pop & Psy Festival in 2022 (the last edition of the Pop & Psy Festival, of which Psy is a partner, was held last October (popetpsy.fr)). Idea? Workshops, talks and concerts to break the silence and move beyond anxiety-provoking demonstrations. “Even though things are changing, we still don’t talk enough about mental health If it’s not the personalities who bring up the topic, it’s the news items, and that’s devastating.,

Another benefit noted by psychiatrists: It can help patients facing similar difficulties on a daily basis. And give them hope and strength? “Absolutely! This is a topic that comes up often in the discussion groups we organize at the hospital: participants are proud to see someone affected by the same disorders as them on screen. Because for many people, it It’s a double whammy: Not only is it impossible to talk about what they’re going through, but they also face negative stereotypes like stars like Mariah Carey. [qui a déclaré souffrir de troubles bipolaires, ndlr]To be told that it was complicated for years but today he has been diagnosed and is doing well is extremely positive and inspiring. ,

a double edged tool

log in. Know yourself. Feel less lonely. Ollivier, 45, was arrested after he overheard swimmer Camille Lacourt talking about her burnout, which occurred at the end of her career. “I have always been inspired by his journey, and knowing that a great athlete like him had the same difficulties as me helped me. This was a turning point on the road to recovery: I stopped thinking that I was the only one who was bad and it proved to me that I could get out of depression,” the young man believes.

The practice still has its limits. According to Jean-Victor Blanc, “It is a “weapon” to be used with discretion: we must go beyond celebrity anecdotes, making it a tool for prevention and destigmatization.” Thus, the psychotherapist takes care to highlight the path of personalities who have recovered and have a certain distance from their history and their symptoms: “It is already not easy to move forward during care, and someone who It is not easy to give up a person who is extremely unhealthy, depressed, and suicidal: instigation to suicide is one of the risks. »

Difficulties and Cathartic Challenge

Emmanuelle Béart who breaks the incest taboo or Judith Godreche who condemns sexual violence in French cinema: these strong words do not spare those who have gone through similar sufferings. “I thank them for talking about this: it is not up to us to be ashamed and hide. » Lena, 34, decided to live abroad, away from her family. The reason? When her cousin We never believed her when she was raped. “When I heard them, I felt like my burden was being told that it wasn’t my fault and that, finally, people were going to listen to me.”

Now do not remain silent, create an atmosphere of agony and start debate in the society. “Every time, these speeches and these strong media moments are a source of inspiration for the people concerned, even if it is sometimes fragile. For some of my patients who have experienced incest or sexual and gender-based violence, it is very difficult that it is talked about so much in the media, because it takes them back to their story. These are complex follow-ups, however, that does not mean that we should not talk about them,” says Jean-Victor Blanc.

clicks that can save

Testify to create great solidarity or vigilance on the health side. In October 2023, Carla Bruni posted a video on her Instagram account. Silently, the singer scrolls through pages of paper on the screen, which read: “Four years ago, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. […] If I am posting this, it is not to give you details of my health. This disgusts me, I hesitated for a long time before speaking. […] Get your mammogram, your life depends on it. » The message of prevention was given across the world.

Peggy, a 47-year-old breast cancer survivor, says she would never have had a mammogram if she had not watched the show Stars a Nou (Stars a Nou, a show then broadcast on TF1) one evening in February 2021. concept ? Personalities, women and men, who work hard to raise awareness about various cancers. “If just one life is saved because of us, we will have won our bet! “, says. A TV evening that changed Peggy’s life. “Normally, I sleep very well, but that night, I wake up and my little voice says to me: “We need to do tests.” ” » An intuition, a coincidence? This is how she was diagnosed with breast cancer – who attended the show that evening. – and having them “triggered” Thanked for.

Everyone has their own way of facing challenges

But for the rest of us, Paige’s opinions on the “influence” of celebrities are pretty divided. During her treatment, she avoided testimony from celebrities who suffered from the disease. Only one name will catch their attention: Angelina Jolie’s. In 2013, the American actress revealed in The New York Times that she had undergone a double mastectomy to survive breast cancer. “His story inspired me and I thought about doing the same: I even talked to my oncologist about it. Peggy then spends a lot of time in the hospital and explains that when she is not there, she wants to think about something other than cancer: “Each patient has their own way of experiencing it. » And the different needs that may develop throughout the treatment: this is what Sarah Zilik-Chevelli, Muriel Hallo and Estelle Faivre, all three clinical psychologists from the Psycho-Oncology Unit of the Gustave-Institut, remind . “All reactions are possible. Talking about cancer, raising awareness, and raising money for research is helpful and reassuring for some patients. These statements may be heavy for others.

These declarations may overlap with the areas we wanted to protect. If the disease also invades the worlds of cinema, music and fiction, it could increase psychological difficulties for patients who are already trying to recover from their illness. » This can trigger negative thoughts, and make some patients feel even more vulnerable. “For others, it brings positivity: they feel better understood and heard throughout their illness. Psychologists educate their patients every time: Every trajectory is unique. “The problem is that we talk about one cancer per organ, but there are different types of breast cancer. Some people may have chemo, some may not, or have very long and severe side effects, but not their neighbor: twins will not experience things in the same way! ,

Bringing those who suffer out of isolation

Another point of caution addressed by Sarah Zilik-Chevelli: “Some patients believe that they do not need to know the illnesses of political opinions and personalities. Then something like being fed up or angry may emerge: “He may have drank too much, but I don’t drink, I don’t smoke and I’m sick. Peggy thus admits that she was “annoyed” by influencers documenting every stage of her cancer on social networks: “When I was sick, I wanted to know everything to avoid unpleasant surprises, But now, I experienced the same thing and I didn’t do much about it. »

Before changing his mind: “Maybe this will save the kids who follow him on Instagram… the more we talk about it, the better!” »Especially when there is a beautiful purpose behind these public declarations: to break isolation and rally around those who are suffering. In early September, Kate Middleton announced that she had completed her chemotherapy treatments. The Princess of Wales had a word for all those “who are continuing their cancer journey”: “I stand with you, shoulder to shoulder, hand in hand. From darkness can come light, so let that light Let it shine » A powerful message.