Three out of every 10 Mexicans have suffered from mental health problems; study

MEXICO CITY.- Three out of every 10 people in Mexico suffer, at least once in their life, from problems of mental health and, within this group, 60% do not receive treatment, as revealed by the general director of AtentaMente, Daniela Labrain an interview with EFE.

“In Mexico, three out of 10 have suffered from mental health problems, according to the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS),” he points out.

Within this portion, The IMSS places the number of people at “more than 60%” who “do not receive treatment.”

For Labra, the reasons that unleash the mental health problemsThey are multiple” and range from the relationship with oneself to how one interacts with the environment.

“One of the factors is when you have a negative internal dialogue about yourself,” says the general director, who relates this situation to the development of depression.

The director of the Center for Healthy Minds, Richard J. Davidson, agrees with her, since it is an ailment caused “by many factors” that can be both genetic and external.

“Other aspects are also causing depression: our environments, the social networks where we are exposed and the messages about fear that are very present in many countries, as well as polarization,” he explains.

In fact, Labra considers that This ailment “has increased enormously” and places the beginning of the trend in 2017, before the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Pressure on Mexicans

According to data from the 2017 National Household Survey (ENH), 32.5% of 12-year-old members and more they have felt depressed at some point in their life and 66.9% feel it “a few times a year.”

As a solution, Davidson proposes social-emotional education of society to prevent and reduce the suffering of a mental health problem.

“It is a long-term strategy that we believe plays a very important role in reducing the prevalence of depression,” he says.

Suicide, a “concern” in Mexico

On the other hand, Labra denounces that “the prevalence of suicide has grown” in Mexicowhich is why it has become “a concern” for the country’s educational systems.

10 years ago, in 2014, Inegi recorded 6,337 deaths by suicide, a figure that peaked in 2021, with 8,432; In 2022, the last year with data, there were 8,239.

“There are states in Mexico that have a higher prevalence, which exceed the national rates. For example, in the Yucatan Peninsula (in the south), they are usually higher than in other states. (The reason) It is still not known,” she explains.

Socio-emotional education, “a right”

Thus, the doctor highlights psychological studies and therapies to improve mental health, among which she highlights those offered by AtentaMente.

She is satisfied with the collaboration with the Mexican administrations and the General Mexican Education Law, that considers socio-emotional education “a right.”

From AtentaMente, teachers who work with children and adolescents are prepared so that their actions permeate the attitude of their students: “When you start (to train) the adult, he will influence and create constructive and protective spaces.”

In this sense, the doctor classified as “most important to be successful in life” the qualities acquired through socio-emotional education, since “a child who has these skills as young adult is less inclined to abuse drugs and commit crimes“, among others.

Even so, Labra also has a request for the Government that arises from the June 2 elections.

“Let’s sustain this socio-emotional education, let’s prepare educators. (…) We must address it, the mental and emotional health of our children, young people and adults is a moral and social duty,” she says.