Photo Credit: iStock.com/Chinnapong

The following is a summary of “Predictors of not wanting to seek help or information for suicide thoughts,” published in the May 2025 issue of BMC Psychiatry by Mohn et al. 

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to examine demographic factors, attitudes toward suicide and mental health, and predictors of non-help-seeking intentions among individuals unwilling to seek help for suicidal thoughts.  

They surveyed a population sample of 3,251 individuals from the Mid- and West-Norway regions using an online questionnaire on attitudes toward suicide and help-seeking for mental ill health. The participants were recruited from the regional population exposed to a media suicide prevention campaign. Among them, 167 reported they would not seek help or information if they were experiencing suicidal thoughts.  

The results showed that individuals unwilling to seek help or information for suicidal thoughts were more often male, aged 40 to 49 years, not retired, and had experienced suicide or attempts among family or friends compared to those with help-seeking intentions. This group reported more negative attitudes toward suicide (e.g., believing it cannot be prevented or discussed), mental illness (e.g., hiding depression or preferring to handle problems alone), and help-seeking (e.g., feeling inferior or doubting access to professional help), along with lower family or friend support. Stepwise logistic regression identified male sex, lack of confidence in obtaining professional help, inability to discuss problems with family or friends, and reluctance to disclose depression as significant predictors of non-help-seeking, explaining 28% of the variance.  

Investigators concluded that future suicide prevention efforts in Norway should target these identified factors, with the strongest predictor being a lack of confidence in accessing professional care for suicidal thoughts. 

Source: bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12888-025-06985-z