2024-10-23 14:14:00
Home > Interviews > “The French are worse off than forty years ago” Sylvie Wieviorka written on October 23, 2024 at 4:14 p.m. Sylvie Wieviorka Article published in newspaper nº 127
Sylvie Wieviorka has practiced psychiatry from the late 1970s to the present day. It is on the basis of her consultations that she testifies in a book to the immense upheavals which have gone through French society in forty years. Mental health, addictions, childhood disorders, suffering at work: the relationship between individuals and society has changed profoundly in multiple areas.
Alternative Santé: What was the trigger for writing your book?
The idea was to try to participate in the reflection around mental health issues. More particularly to the relationships between mental health issues and society as a whole. I also wanted to show, on the basis of my personal observation, how, in four decades, the way of perceiving the world had changed considerably. I think we are unaware of the enormity of the changes that have occurred in the field of psychiatric disorders over the last forty years.
What are the most notable developments?
Forty years ago, psychologists mainly treated
people with mental illnesses. In other words, who
consulted for psychoses, depression, etc. In short, people who were sick, who experienced themselves as sick and who consulted to seek care. We have moved to a time where mental health concerns everyone.
I think this is an extremely important change, with both good and bad sides. The positive point is the impact very destigmatizing. By this I mean that there is perhaps not such a difference in nature between individuals with proven psychiatric illnesses and people like you and me, who are not too bad but who, from time to time , have small bouts of blues or anxiety. The perhaps more curious side is that we tend to psychologize a whole series of difficulties in social and relational life which are, perhaps, not really within the purview of psychology and psychiatry.
Read also “For a new psychiatry: giving back its place to the subject and to the clinic” (Patrick Lemoine)
Would concern about one’s mental health be somehow amplified by the interest one has in it?
Yes, I believe in that a lot. My point of view is that if I ask you how you are, you will tell me that you are fine. Then, if I persist by asking you if you sleep well, if you eat well, if you are never anxious, we will end up finding something. No one, or I think this will turn out to be pathological in another sense, goes through life on a carpet of flowers and with a smile on their face. The more you tell someone that they look bad, the worse they feel.
You underline the technicality and pathologization of the terms used…
Yes. If we take the example of childhood, in 1984, during my consultations, I could hear: “ My son exhausts me, I can’t get him to stay still. Can you give me some advice? » Currently, it would rather be: “ My son suffers from ADHD (Attention deficit disorder with or without hyperactivity, editor’s note). I think he needs to be put on Ritalin. »
If we adopt an optimistic view of the subject, we can say to ourselves
that these disorders were once underdiagnosed because we did not
did not know about these pathologies. To take…
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### Interview with Sylvie Wieviorka: Reflections on Social Psychiatry and Mental Health Developments
**Alternative Santé:** Your new book sheds light on the evolution of mental health over the past forty years. What motivated you to write it?
**Sylvie Wieviorka:** My primary goal was to engage in the ongoing conversation about mental health, particularly how it intertwines with societal changes. I wanted to illustrate through my personal experiences the significant transformations in how we perceive mental health issues today compared to four decades ago. Many are unaware of just how much the landscape of psychiatric disorders has evolved.
**Alternative Santé:** You mention a shift in who experiences mental health concerns. What does that look like?
**Sylvie Wieviorka:** Indeed, we’ve moved from a narrower view where psychotherapy was primarily for those with severe mental illnesses like psychosis or depression. Now, mental health is a concern for everyone. This broadening has had its pros and cons. On the upside, it has destigmatized mental health issues, fostering an understanding that those with psychiatric conditions are not so different from the rest of us who occasionally feel low or anxious. However, it also leads to the over-psychologization of everyday challenges that might not actually require psychological intervention.
**Alternative Santé:** So, with increased awareness, might there also be a risk of heightened anxiety about mental health issues?
**Sylvie Wieviorka:** Absolutely. The more we focus on mental health, the more likely individuals are to find problems within themselves. If we keep probing, asking how someone is feeling, they may start to identify issues they wouldn’t have thought of initially. It’s true that no one goes through life without experiencing some level of discomfort, but emphasizing negativity can indeed amplify feelings of distress.
**Alternative Santé:** You also touch upon a change in the language surrounding mental health, especially concerning children. Can you explain this further?
**Sylvie Wieviorka:** Certainly. In the past, a common concern expressed by parents was simply for advice on managing their children’s behavior. Now, the dialogue has shifted to a clinical language, with parents often diagnosing their children with terms like ADHD and seeking medications. This reflects a broader pattern of pathologizing behavior that, in past decades, may have been understood as natural variations in childhood.
**Alternative Santé:** In your view, how can society better balance this awareness of mental health with practical, everyday realities?
**Sylvie Wieviorka:** We need to foster a culture that encourages open discussions about mental health without resorting to pathologization. Individuals should feel comfortable discussing their feelings and experiences without the weight of clinical labels. Moreover, we must recognize when everyday challenges arise that don’t belong in the realm of psychiatric disorders. Building a society that supports mental well-being through understanding and meaningful connections is key.
**Alternative Santé:** Thank you, Sylvie, for sharing your insights on this critical issue influencing our lives today.
**Sylvie Wieviorka:** Thank you for having me! It’s vital we continue this conversation.
