The Nightline association, specialist in student mental health, is launching a kind of digital guide offering concrete tools to help young people suffering from malaise or depression.
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- The Nightline France association was created in 2016 in the form of an anonymous and free listening line, open from 9 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Its mission: to lend an ear to students with mental health problems. She received a total of 13,372 calls and messages over the 2021-2022 academic year, 18% of which concerned suicidal thoughts.
- In 2021, no less than 36.6% of students reported depressive symptoms, compared to 20.1% of the general population, according to a survey carried out by the Observatory of Student Life.
“Everyone has mental health and, as with physical health, there are concrete and accessible tools to take care of it.” The association Nightlinefounded in 2016 by students for students, presented this week a new tool intended to take care of one’s mental health, at a time when, according to a survey by The Student Mutual (LMDE), 70% of them say they are in a situation of ill-being and that 36% admit to having suicidal thoughts.
A personalized course around mini-games
Unveiled by one of its ambassadors, the Youtuber Cyril Northit is a “survival kit“ digital designed to accompany young people and help them support their loved ones, thanks to a series of concrete tools used in particular by behavioral and cognitive therapies (CBT) and centered on emotions, thoughts, actions… “We have adapted them in a digital and playful version so that they are meaningful for the student population”, explains Eléonore Jarrige, psychologist associated with the project. The association thus offers a personalized course that includes mini-games, training sessions, activities and summary sheets.
At the beginning of his journey, the user is asked a very simple and yet essential question: “How are you, really?”. Depending on his answer (“Bof”, “I don’t have the words”, “It’s alright”…), he is then directed towards the resources that best correspond to his situation. Another section, called “I have a friend who is not well”, is proposed to give keys to support a loved one in pain. A “Mini-Dico” is also accessible to inform young people about the best vocabulary adapted to their discomfort.
Practical advice to improve your mental health
By clicking on the different tools (“Behavioral Activation”, “Gratitude Diary”, “Relaxation – Meditation”, “Identifying Your Emotions”, “Asking Your Ailments”…), the user can then access all sorts of fun tips and practical exercises to overcome their discomfort. Among the workouts on offer, one can come across, for example, a board game to identify “things that make me feel good” or to spot “the small voice inside [qui] tends to dramatize or exaggerate” the situations experienced by the person, and so “learn to recognize cognitive distortions”, claims Nightline.
Complementing the actions already carried out by the association (free, nocturnal and anonymous listening service designed by and for students, prevention campaigns, advocacy with institutions, etc.), this “survival kit” finally redirects to external resources when necessary, such as a directory of mental health professionalsthe national suicide prevention number 3114, or the website support-etudiant.info.
