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Mental health: a study highlights the alarming rise in suicides among young women

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The Editor

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According to an Ipsos study for the French Hospital Federation (FHF) published this Wednesday, hospitalizations for suicide attempts are skyrocketing among teenage girls and young women. Behind these staggering numbers lies a persistent reality: accessing care remains an obstacle course for an entire generation.

The findings are chilling. According to the French Hospital Federation, hospitalizations due to suicide attempts have skyrocketed in recent years. Between 2019 and 2024, they have increased by 16.6% nationwide, and by 25.4% among women.

But it's especially the younger ones that are concerning. Among teenage girls and young women, the numbers are alarming: +76% for those aged 20-24 in five years, and even +118% for ages 10-14. This rapid surge highlights an increased vulnerability in these age groups, which are already particularly susceptible to anxiety disorders, depression, and social pressures.


Access to Care: A Generation Left Waiting

Meanwhile, the support is struggling to keep up. Today, seeing a specialist often feels like a real obstacle course. Among 18-24 year-olds dealing with mental health issues, 64% mention waiting times that are just too long to see a psychiatrist. Even more concerning: more than one in two claim they haven't been able to secure an appointment.

The challenges don’t stop there. Medication shortages, interruptions in medical follow-up, lack of suitable facilities… Nearly half of the affected youth say they were left without support during a critical time. This situation increases risks and delays essential care.


Urgent Responses Needed

In the face of this crisis, calls to action are increasing. Mental health, which has been raised to a major national cause, is struggling to translate into concrete actions on the ground. The Hospital Federation of France is advocating for immediate and funded measures, including the creation of a dedicated interministerial delegation.

Among the proposed measures: strengthening mental health centers, combating the shortage of professionals, especially in child psychiatry, and developing services tailored for 16-25 year-olds. The “youth centers”, still a bit too few in number, could play a key role in prevention and support.

While announcements have been made to bolster these efforts, the gap between the urgent needs and the reality of resources remains, for many, vast.