Quintana Roo Ranks Second Nationally in Suicide Rate, Officials Warn

Cancún, Quintana Roo — Quintana Roo recorded a preliminary suicide rate of 11.8 per 100,000 residents in 2025, the second-highest in Mexico, according to figures released around World Suicide Prevention Day, observed each September 10.

The state tied with Aguascalientes and trailed only Chihuahua, which reported a rate of 13.9. The national average stood at 6.8 cases per 100,000 people.

Cancún has emerged as one of the main areas of concern, not only because of its population but also because of the social conditions typical of a highly mobile city. Thousands of people arrive to work and build new lives, often far from family and friends.

Mental health specialist Sandybel Robaldino said suicide is a multifactorial phenomenon that cannot be attributed to a single cause. She explained, however, that social isolation and the absence of support networks can become vulnerability factors when a person faces a crisis, a loss, or economic or family problems.

“A person can be surrounded by people every day, work, socialize and maintain an apparently active life, and at the same time experience a deep sense of loneliness, disconnection or lack of belonging,” she warned.

Men account for roughly eight of every 10 suicides recorded in Mexico, while the 15-to-24 and 25-to-34 age groups account for a significant share of cases.

Against that backdrop, Robaldino said it is essential to strengthen a culture of prevention in which asking for help is not seen as a sign of weakness. Listening without judgment, genuinely asking “how are you?” and spotting changes such as isolation, hopelessness or loss of interest can be important steps.

Prevention, she stressed, is also built within the community — because in a city full of people, there can also be those navigating their hardest moments alone.