Mental health experts address rising suicide rates and psychological suffering

Mental health professionals are addressing the rising complexity of suicide as a public health issue. Psychologist Nelson Ponce describes suicide as a multifactorial phenomenon rather than the result of a single triggering event, such as an economic crisis or a relationship conflict. He notes that individuals often do not desire death itself, but rather seek an end to intense suffering and the inability to find new ways to feel well.

In Argentina, researcher and psychologist Brian Banszczyk highlights that suicide has become a leading cause of death among individuals aged 15 to 34. Banszczyk points to a phenomenon he calls the ‘melancholization of the future,’ where young people experience a weakening of desire and life projects. He suggests that current psychological distress is shaped by complex social, relational, and subjective configurations that leave individuals feeling as though there is no way out.