James Donaldson on Mental Health - Young Adults With Suicidal Ideation: Who Reaches Out by Texting for Help and Why Do Others Hold Back?

Edited by Manasi Talwadekar Among young adults with suicidal ideation, factors associated with the use of crisis text services were female sex, minoritized sexual orientation, engagement with a mental health provider, and prior hospitalizations.

Participants who never texted crisis lines faced barriers such as doubts about effectiveness and embarrassment.

METHODOLOGY: Researchers conducted a cross-sectional survey study in Oregon from August to December 2023 to identify characteristics linked to the use of crisis text services and barriers to use in young adults aged 18-24 years with suicidal ideation and financial stress.

Overall, 118 participants were recruited through community partners and social media advertisements; 76% of them identified having a minoritized gender or sexual orientation.

Participants completed an online survey with 38 closed-ended and two open-ended items, including questions about hospitalizations for suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, mental health provider status, service use, decision-making factors for contacting crisis lines, and barriers preventing the use of the service.

Differences in demographic and healthcare characteristics between those who had ever texted crisis lines and those who had never were examined.

TAKEAWAY: When asked about disclosing suicidal ideation, participants most frequently told no one (69%), told a friend/boyfriend/girlfriend (64%), and texted/chatted with a crisis line (47%).

Female sex ( P = .019) and having a minoritized sexual orientation ( P = .048) were significantly associated with the use of crisis text services, whereas minoritized gender status, race, and urbanicity showed no significant association.

Having a mental health provider correlated with the use of crisis text services ( P = .010), as did prior hospitalization for suicidal ideation or suicide attempt ( P = .003).

Participants who had ever texted crisis lines (n = 55) most often reported using crisis text services because they had no one else to talk to (78%), felt like a burden to others (71%), and preferred anonymity (65%).