Experts stress prevention awareness following suicide death of young man in Maunabo

Marta Rivera Plaza, CEO of San Juan Capestrano Hospital System, and psychiatrist Dr. William Lugo, the hospital system’s medical director

By The Star Staff

Experts from the San Juan Capestrano Hospital System point to the need for citizens to rally around collective action to foster education, open conversation, and compassion for those facing suicidal thoughts. Puerto Rico’s largest mental health care provider stated that the most effective way to prevent suicide is to be more aware of people who somehow change their behavior, withdraw to seek solitude, show symptoms of depression, or significantly increase their medication dosages.

“Every time a life is lost to suicide, an entire community suffers. We have a responsibility to listen, to ask questions, and to intervene promptly,” said Marta Rivera Plaza, CEO of San Juan Capestrano. “We express our deepest solidarity with the Maunabo community and the loved ones of the 24-year-old young man who recently died by suicide. This tragic event reminds us that suicide can touch any life, at any time, and that talking about mental health remains urgent and necessary,”

Statistical data reveals that from 2000 to January 2025, a total of 7,148 suicides have been reported in Puerto Rico, with an annual average of 289 suicides. The information collected indicates that 201 suicides were recorded in 2023, representing an increase compared to the 177 cases reported in 2022. The adjusted suicide rate for the period from 2020 to 2023 was between 5.7 and 6.0 suicides per 100,000 inhabitants. Eighty-five percent of suicides occur in men, with an adjusted rate of 16.0 per 100,000 inhabitants, compared to 2.4 in women.

The San Juan-based hospital system offered data that reflects the urgent need to strengthen prevention and awareness efforts in communities such as the health regions of Aguadilla, Mayagüez and Caguas, which have the highest suicide rates on the island.

“We offer our telephone number 1-888-967-4357 (24/7 Confidential Helpline) for those who need help. Many young people live their emotional pain in silence. Recognizing the signs and knowing that help is available can make the difference between life and death,” noted Dr. William Lugo, a psychiatrist and San Juan Capestrano’s medical director. “In these cases, it is necessary for family, friends, or coworkers to suggest seeking professional help for all people who in some way present abnormal behaviors. Hearing a person say they want to die, that they feel great guilt about something, or that they are a burden to others is a warning sign to suggest or request help from a mental health professional.”

“The symptoms of suicidal intent are multiple; however, the most common are hearing a person express emptiness, demonstrating hopelessness, [feeling] trapped, or having no reason to live, as well as demonstrating extreme sadness, anxiety, agitation or anger,” Lugo said. “Experiencing unbearable pain, whether emotional or physical, is a red flag for the intervention of a multidisciplinary team to address these problems.”

Mental health experts point out that changing behavior often involves making a plan or researching ways to die. In these cases, people seek to distance themselves from friends, say goodbye, give away important items they own, or prepare a will; they do very risky things like driving extremely fast, they exhibit extreme mood swings, they eat or sleep too much or too little and, most commonly, they exhibit habits that increase their drug or alcohol use.