After the suicides of some prominent African-Americans in recent history (Junior Seau, Chris Lighty, Don Cornelius), I came across an article about the stigma of suicide in the black community: http://blackdoctor.org/12194/black-suicide-stigma/ I also recently took and passed a simple suicide prevention and referral test which is open to anyone here: http://www.asklistenrefer.org/
In the black community, mental illness has a negative stigma. Those afflicted by some form of mental illness are seen as "crazy" or "messed up" and are mocked or avoided rather than helped. This only perpetuates the cycle. One of the parts of the article that resonated with me was "This culture of silence continues to be a significant risk factor for
many health disparities in the Black community, particularly mental
illness...". If we are hurting, why don't we ask for help?
What is mental illness? Almost anything that affects a person's regular/normal functioning like depression, anxiety (bad nerves), and/or hearing voices or seeing things that are not there. Some causes can be: clinical illnesses, medical problems, legal troubles, relationship troubles, drug and alcohol use, violence, money problems, and more. Black women and returning veterans are at a higher risk than most for experiencing depression and suicide attempts.
We, as a community, need to break away from this cycle of self-abuse. Instead of putting one another down, try lifting people up. Offer help...even if you don't know what "help" means. A threat of suicide is often a cry for help and all you have to do is listen and refer them for professional help. There should be NO SHAME in asking for help.
If you or someone you know is hurting, there are ways to help. Be a friend and listen to someone who might be at risk. Don't be afraid to ask them are they thinking about suicide. The church is a good source of help for black Americans as we tend to rely heavily on our faith in God. There are all kinds of counselors in the community who are able to offer services as well. If you are not insured, ask for a sliding fee scale. Some counselors (and future counselors like me!) will provide services at low or no cost to those in need.
Suicide in the black community is real. When people make threats, BELIEVE THEM! They are not crazy, they need our help.
