- According to INEGI, there are currently 25 million Mexicans who suffer from a mental disorder.
- Suicides are already the second most common cause of death in Mexico for people between the ages of 14 and 29.
- The December holidays, added to the winter season, can be triggers for low moods.
Both in Mexico and in the rest of Latin America there is a serious mental health problem that is reflected in the increase in suicides. In fact, it is already the second most common cause of death among young people. The most alarming thing is that during the December holidays is when more incidents of this type are reported.
“INEGI alerted a couple of months ago about the accelerated growth of the suicide rate in Mexico. Only during the last three years it has increased by 24%, so it is urgent to inform and talk to prevent these trends,” said Dr. Carmen Amezcua, who is an integrative psychiatrist.
And it is that in the region talking about suicide is a taboo subject. Therefore, many people who are going through severe depressive states do not dare to seek help for fear of being judged.
With this in mind, the specialist said that it is important to stay in constant communication with the people you love the most. In addition, one must be attentive to situations that generate suspicion of pictures of sadness You should never leave for tomorrow everything that can be done today.
In this vein, December is a month that can be hard to face. The end of the year parties stir different emotions, and with it, the consumption of substances. In addition, cold, wintry and gray days do not help to improve the situation.
But, what to do if you feel sad or know someone who is going through a difficult time? Dr. Amezcua mentions that when the mental health so neglected it is difficult to identify a person who needs help. Many times that help does not arrive at the right time or in the right way and when it is finally identified it is too late.
According to INEGI figures currently 25 million Mexicans suffer from a mental disorder. While only two out of 10 are attended by a professional.
“It is necessary to understand that mental health is as important as physical health. In fact, they are complementary, they integrate. If something happens in the mind, it is very likely that it will manifest in the body. While situations that are experienced externally have strong repercussions on an emotional level. That is why it is fundamental to understand psychiatry as an integrative therapy that goes beyond the mind”.
Integrative Medicine for Mental Health
Carmen Amezcua, in her more than 19-year career as a doctor and psychiatry researcher, has been able to realize that the key to any improvement is integrative medicine.
“We tend to think that the solution to illnesses, both physical and mental, must be conceived in isolation, but everything is related. It is very probable that by being aware that food, routine, sleep cycles and consumption, we can move towards breaking a disassociative conception”.
Tips to prevent suicides
For this reason, the specialist points out that it is very important at this time of year to eat well, make sure to ingest all the necessary nutrients for brain chemistry and also supplement yourself with vitamins and minerals, such as D, which is essential when the sun is not very intense. Sometimes simple changes in habits can mean a huge change on an emotional level.
Depression is the mental disorder with the most recurrence in Mexico; however, the lack of information and the invisibility of the problem generate more doubts than certainties when facing it.
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