can anyone in France tell me about mental health services?

[bubble2bubble]

I have a ( non French ) friend who really needs help and while I think I could do something if she was in the UK I really don't know where to start
She has seen a generaliste who obviously realised there was a problem but didn't want to prescribe anything as my friend is quite new to the area & she didn't have the full history, but referred her to a psychologist - the appointment is not until January. Is this the way it would normally work?
I can't help thinking there is something that can be done more urgently. Are there, for example any mental health charities who can offer help or a befriending service?
I am really worried as I think this girl is really severely depressed and has really noone locally to help
Although I also lived in France for a long time I have absolutely no experience of this sort of thing
Any pointers in the right direction would be appreciated

Hmm, I've had dealing with plenty of psychologists here but for very different reasons (child with special needs) so I don't know how much my help will be relevant, but I'm surprised it should take as long as that. (But that said, it's the holidays so maybe they've all gone skiing ). I also know that psychologue are usually not covered under SECU, but psychiatre are (not sure if this is relevant to your non-French friend). If she is in Paris region there is an organisation called SOS Help which is a bit like Samaritans (English speaking) so I'd be surprised if there was nothing else around wherever she is.

..wonder if anna knows about this too

norty florn.

I would have thought it would be more beneficial for her to see a pyschiatre rather than a psychologue if she is suffering from a form of depression unless it is some how related to an incident eg PTSD. Can't she go directly to a pyschiatre?

that's a very good point about the psychiatre - I hadn't actually picked up on that but I think you are right
Will also mention that about the SECU - I'm not entirely sure what her situation is with that
She's in la Rochelle BTW