Mexican researchers have found that people who avoid going to psychologists choose the most violent suicide methods

The number of suicide cases has increased in Mexico city over the past two years. They have become the second-leading cause of death among young adults <30 years of age. Researchers from the National Autonomous University of Mexico, together with physicians of the Fray Bernardino Álvarez Psychiatric Hospital in Mexico city, have conducted a study, which demonstrated that male subjects with suicidal behavior who had not sought psychological or psychiatric assistance were likely to select more violent suicide methods compared to female subjects. The results of the study were published in Consortium Psychiatricum scientific journal.  

The study included 241 patients (58% of whom were female) who had a history of a suicidal attempt. The mean age of respondents was 29 years, and all of them were diagnosed with an mental disorder. The survey and further analysis of the obtained data showed that female patients were more likely to delay seeking psychiatric care with a mean difference of 30 days. The study also showed that all patients who had delayed seeking psychiatric care chose more violent suicide methods. It is noteworthy that male patients were more likely to use such methods compared to female patients. 

Since the majority of suicidal attempts were observed in subjects aged 17 to 24 years, the researchers pointed out the importance of studying the barriers to timely seeking psychiatric care among young adults. According to the authors, understanding of such factors will make mental health care services more accessible to this patient cohort. 

“It is particularly important to study the perception of psychiatric care by male subjects and the causes of delay in seeking this care, due to the fact that they have more violent suicide attempts and more completed suicides.” says Héctor Cabello, one of the study authors.