For example, psychological distress was detected in 7.8% of people aged 18 to 65, a proportion 2.2 points lower than in adolescents.
Psychological distress is “an experience of emotional discomfort, which can manifest as anxiety, stress, dissatisfaction or anguish, without necessarily meeting the criteria for a mental disorder,” the survey defines.
This sensation was detected more in Mexico City. In general, 11.6% of the capital’s population, both adolescents and adults, experienced psychological distress. Next is the southern region of the country, with 10.3% of inhabitants in this condition. In third place is the population of the Northern Peninsula (8.7%), made up of Baja California, Baja California Sur and Sonora.
Suicidal behavior
Encodat 2025 shows that among younger people the prevalence of suicidal behavior is higher. 3.3% of minors between 12 and 17 years old had suicidal thoughts and ideas last year compared to 1.7% of people between 18 and 65 years old.
Additionally, 1.9% of adolescents made a suicide plan and 1.5% attempted suicide, while 1% of adults planned suicide and 0.5% attempted suicide. This means that adolescents tripled the prevalence of suicide attempts than adults.
Mental health problems in childhood and adolescence have raised alarm bells in the country in recent years, as an increase has been observed.
In 2023, the National Health and Nutrition Survey (Ensanut) detected that 7% of adolescents between 10 and 19 years old had depressive symptoms. Although it is a different survey, with a different age cut-off, Ensanut works as a reference. Now, Encodat detects 10% of adolescents between 10 and 17 years old with psychological discomfort.
In addition, psychiatry specialists have long warned about an increase in cases of adolescent suicide. According to data from Inegi, analyzed by the Children’s Rights Network in Mexico (Redim), the suicide rate among people aged 10 to 17 doubled between 2000 and 2024, going from two cases to four per 100,000 girls, boys and adolescents in that age range.
According to Encodat 2025, psychological distress “can affect the quality of life of individuals, impacting their work, academic and personal lives. Among the factors that increase the risk of developing psychological distress are poverty, lack of employment, violence and the stigma associated with mental health problems.”
This problem attracted a lot of attention in 2025, after a student from the College of Sciences and Humanities (CCH) South murdered one of his classmates inside the school.
The student community of this campus, mostly adolescents, demanded from school authorities greater security and access to mental health services in schools. Although there has been progress in this area, it still represents a challenge to ensure that all adolescents receive the proper attention.
