We know about Alcoholics Anonymous, who meet to talk about their struggles with alcohol consumption, and now, in Paris, there are Depressed Anonymous for people suffering from depression. Operating on the same principle as their predecessors, the first Parisian meeting took place on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, at the Sourdière center, as noted by Le Parisien.
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An informal discussion group
Every Tuesday, the Anonymous Depressives gather in the 1st arrondissement. These meetings are open without registration or commitment. A recovery program in twelve steps is offered to them, modeled after Alcoholics Anonymous. And, as the name suggests, within this group, anonymity is key. “When you arrive in a group, you're a depressive among others, there’s no social status that matters, we don’t share our professions. And that’s what gives us such freedom of speech,” shares Ariane (the name has been changed), one of the participants, with Le Parisien.
France, one of the European countries most affected by depression
According to the 2024 insurance barometer by health insurance, nearly one in six adults (16%) experienced a depressive episode in the past twelve months. This is an increase from 12.5% in 2021. France was deemed the most affected country in Europe by depressive syndromes in 2019.
While these meetings do not replace medical follow-up, psychiatrist Christine Barois believes that these groups “[allow] us to understand we are not alone and share what we are going through.”
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Anonymous Depressives
Centre de la Sourdière
23, rue de la Sourdière — 1st
Every Tuesday from 8 PM to 9 PM
More info
France, one of the European countries most affected by depression
Centre de la Sourdière
23, rue de la Sourdière — 1st
Every Tuesday from 8 PM to 9 PM
More info