Living in France can be beautiful—but also deeply isolating. Whether you’re navigating bureaucracy, adjusting to a new culture, facing language barriers, or simply feeling disconnected, you’re not alone.
This is an open invitation to anyone who’s been quietly struggling with mental well-being while living in France. Whether you’re an expat, a local, a long-term resident, or somewhere in between, this space is for you.
Why this discussion matters:
Many of us face emotional challenges that aren’t always visible.
Mental health support in France can feel confusing or inaccessible—especially in English.
Sharing experiences can help us feel seen, supported, and less alone.
Topics we’ll explore together:
Coping with loneliness and cultural disconnect
Burnout, stress, and emotional fatigue
Finding English-speaking therapists or support groups
Navigating mental health care in the French system
Seasonal depression and emotional triggers
Rebuilding identity and self-worth abroad
This isn’t therapy, it’s community. A place to talk, listen, and support each other without judgment.
If this resonates with you, drop a comment below. Share your story, your questions, or just say hello. Let’s build something healing together.
Thanks so much, Porridge, for your thoughtful reply and for nudging me to introduce myself properly. You are absolutely right, and I appreciate you opening the door for a more personal connection.
I have been living in France for the past 7 years, and like many here, I have experienced my share of ups and downs—navigating work, culture, and life in a new country.
But this year has felt different. There is a heaviness in the air, and I have noticed more people quietly struggling with loneliness, emotional fatigue, and a lack of mental peace. It’s not always easy to talk about it. As i have felt it too. And that’s exactly why I wanted to start this group discussion not as a professional, but as someone who’s been there.
I believe that even small conversations can help us feel less alone. Whether it’s sharing what’s helped us cope, pointing each other toward resources, or simply listening without judgment, I think we can support one another in meaningful ways.
Thanks again for engaging. I hope others will feel comfortable joining in, even if it’s just to say ‘Hi, hello,’
It’s certainly unctuous enough to have been written by AI.
And SF - with all its longstanding alliances and enmities and where lots of people use their real names - is hardly the kind of anonymous setting where people (many of whom have met up in the flesh) are going to start baring their souls. It would be like walking into your local pub and doing it.
Giving them the benefit of the doubt, I suppose the motive could be what they say, ie to help people, and that they just used AI to produce a text out of laziness. I’m afraid the wording makes my skin crawl, though.
My other issue with it is that’s it’s basically perjury, taking text written by other people and reusing it with no acknowledgement that it’s copying. I can see why authors are upset.
The future in medicine is to use AI for initial diagnosis. Not least it can be done at a distance, via phone or computer, so data gathering at this stage of AI development is essential.
The language is not dissimilar to that used by some therapists - the AI after all is getting sentence construction from websites. This is exactly the sort of thing that can be found on a therapist’s site who is struggling to be genuine:
“even small conversations can help us feel less alone. Whether it’s sharing what’s helped us cope, pointing each other toward resources, or simply listening without judgment”
I found it rather sweet when I was using CHATgpt to set up my LUBA mower and also an ethernet connection down to the cottage: “You’re doing really well Sue, now we just need to move onto the next stage …” “That’s exactly right, well done, now I suggest …” “Would you like me to …”
I’d rather be getting that back than “ You’re a complete idiot!”
@abhietengg you suggest you are suitably qualified in this wide ranging subject.
Perhaps you can expand on your 7 years of living in France. Do you live alone or with a partner.
You also suggest you have had many personal experiences of French life, please tell us more so that we can better understand how best to benefit, or not, from your invitation.
