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Studies Find Increase in Suicides Among Black Youths

By Dr. Henrie M. Treadwell

Dr. Henrie M. Treadwell

Atlanta, GA (BlackNews.com) - Not long ago, the words "suicide" and "African Americans" were almost never mentioned in the same breath. Despite confronting challenges from slavery to Jim Crow to structural racism, blacks rarely took their own lives. It was a positive health disparity. Until now.

There is alarming evidence that the suicide rate for young African-American men is escalating, and just as much evidence that America's health-care system is ill-equipped to curb it.

Dr. Claire Xanthos, a health services research specialist, recently wrote a policy paper citing studies showing that from 1980 to 1995, the suicide rate for black adolescents rose from 5.6 to per 100,000 of the population. Put in starker terms: this doubling of the suicide rate for young black males has made it the third-leading cause of death among that demographic group.

Clearly, it is a complex problem that is directly related to life experiences of young African-American males in America. While the suicide rate for young black men has risen, the suicide rate for black women remains among the lowest of any demographic group.

So why are our young black men killing themselves?

Dr. Xanthos concludes there are many factors, and among them are the race-related challenges that these youths face. The data show that they go to jail, drop out of school and become victims of crime at rates far higher than their white counterparts. Moreover, young black males are more likely than not to live in a family environment that is less than ideal; roughly 70 percent of African Americans live in single-parent homes.

The combination of family stress, violence in their communities, and the stigma and discrimination they face is taking a toll on young black males. Some mental health specialists, such as Dr. Alvin Poussaint, argue that "death by cop" incidents should be counted as suicide. These are occasions when black youths are despondent and won't commit suicide, but purposely break the law so someone else will kill them.

"How many young men who put themselves in situations where it's very likely that they're going to get shot to death are actually committing suicide?" asked Dr. Poussaint in a recent interview on National Public Radio. "There is such a thing as what we call victim-precipitated homicide, which is suicide. The most classic example would be suicide by cop, which you read about in the newspaper from time to time, where people wanted to be shot to be killed because they were suicidal, but they didn't want to do it themselves...because there's still a stigma attached to committing suicide, so they'd rather have someone else kill them or have it seem like an accident."

This rising suicide tide can impact middle-class black teenagers in white suburbs, as well as those in inner-city neighborhoods. In fact, Dr. Xanthos argues that black youths living in white communities often face the trauma of not relating to their white neighbors and also feeling estranged from blacks from poorer, urban settings. Certainly, the death of James Dungy, the 18-year-old son of Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy, underscored that suicide can strike the rich and poor.

What's clear is that black communities, healthcare professionals and public health officials must mobilize to meet the challenges presented by this problem.

The stigma towards mental illness in the black communities is so taboo that obvious signs that someone has a problem are frequently ignored, even by close family members and friends. The first step must come from parents and friends recognizing the behavior patterns that indicate someone has a problem, and then working to get help for that person.

There is also a crucial role to be played by public health programs, such as Medicaid, which must make it easier for young black men to receive counseling and treatments.

But once these teens get to treatment facilities another problem develops: the lack of black therapists, counselors and psychiatrists. According to data, blacks are about four percent of the nation's psychiatrists, three percent of the psychologists and seven percent of social workers. It's imperative that more African Americans be trained for those positions. The problems weighing on many black youths are created by racism and the family, educational and urban tensions that they face in everyday life. In these instances, an African-American counselor or physician who may be more likely to grasp the situation is needed to provide assistance.

Dr. Xanthos also raises the need for more "bicultural'' training for young black males. Or put another way, it is learning to survive in a white society. Such training would better prepare black youths for integration into schools and workplaces that are predominantly white, while also preparing black youths to confront and overcome the discrimination they are likely to face in American society.

This problem can no longer be ignored. It must be faced in our homes, our communities and by public officials in schools and health facilities.

The reality is that young black males face some of the biggest hurdles in our society, and if they are going succeed we all must do a better job of identifying people with problems and facilitating the treatment that can put them on a successful path.

(Dr. Henrie M. Treadwell, associate director of Development at the National Center for Primary Care of Morehouse School of Medicine, is also director of Community Voices, a non-profit working to improve health services, and health-care access, for all Americans. For print or broadcast interviews with Dr. Treadwell, please contact Alicia Ingram, 404-493-1724, ingramalicia@bellsouth.net.)

CONTACT:
Alicia Ingram
404-493-1724
ingramalicia@bellsouth.net

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*Please note this is an article I read and felt compelled to share and I hope there is no violation to post this article since I also post the sources here. Lastly, respectfully I do not know if this article has been presented at this site already-William*

Posted By: WILLIAM W. HEMMANS III
Thursday, September 11th 2008 at 6:39PM
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Hello, I came across this article and I posted it because I was not aware that Suicides reportedly statistically observed have increased.
Also I have not thought about are some black youth getting caught up in violent crimes because that is there way of seeking way out due to suicide? Does some the hard gangsta rap attribute to that in a way because they are seeking same with their behaviors? Does alcohol and drugs pump them up to increase invitations to possible suicidal behaviors?
Just thoughts crossing my mind after reading this article.
Also please note I do not know if this is a typo in this article where it is stated, "the suicide rate for black adolescents rose from 5.6 to per 100,000 of the population.", but does not mention what it has risen to.
Feel free if you choose to let me know your thoughts.
Thank you.
Thursday, September 11th 2008 at 6:47PM
WILLIAM W. HEMMANS III

According to the Journal of Counseling and Development in June 2007 (see www.goliath.ecnext.com), suicide is the 7th leading cause of death among African-American teenagers in the U.S. This is based on data by Compton, Thompson, & Kaslow in 2005 studying the suicide rates of teenagers between the ages of 10-14.

According to the Center for Disease Control, traditionally, whites led suicides by 157 percent in 1995, but only now lead African-Americans in suicides by 47 percent which is an increase of 233 percent in comparison of African-American teens now committing suicide.

The statistics and data about suicides among teens in the African-American community raises two primary issues IMO.

1) Because the rate of suicides by teens in our community was scarce, we do not pay attention to the increase of suicides affecting our community. It is something that we do not pay attention to because we are believed to be a strong people who don't crack at the seems. Thus, we are as parents and kinshippers, not trained to the signs of a teen falling through the cracks mentally. We expect that our children are tough and blind to the many factors contributing to teen suicide. Of course, we are not educated as we should be about mental illnesses such as clinical depression.

Clinical depression is the state of mind where an individual sinks so low emotionally that they have no hope for anything positive about life (e.g., living). They sink so low that death thoughts become inviting and the more persistent those death thoughts become, the more apt individuals are to act on those thoughts. When the mind begins telling you that death is so much better than life and your life reflects just that, you become convinced and then you seek ways to bring death to you.

That state of hopelessness is very strong and persistent. It cannot be just shaken off the way we expect our children to shake it off and even adults to just shake it off. It is an emotionally crippling state of mind. In most cases, it is also an indication of a mental illness such as Bipolar or clinical depression or Pschizophrenia. Medication and therapy is necessary to treat these forms of mental illness.

There are many triggers that can cause this state of hopelessness. When you factor in the changes a teenager is going through biologically due to puberty, with a brain disorder of some form, low self-esteem becomes very haunting during a time when teens need acceptance by peers.

In addition, the family structure can be weak and cause triggering effects. Things adults may take for granted about their family status can actually be triggers of suicidal thoughts in teens over time. For example, poverty, divorce, single-parent household, peer acceptance, substance use by teens, peer pressure to join gangs, sell drugs, etc., loneliness, fear of failing academically, genetics tied to mental illness, etc.

As heads of families, we need to be consciously aware of the symptoms of clinical depression that can lead to suicide in our youth. We need to be educated about where to turn for help and how to turn for help. We need to understand not to sweep certain behaviors under the rug and hope for the best. We need to swallow our pride and acknowledge that Nay-Nay is struggling with "darkness." We will talk to each other about how (if) Nay-Nay ran up her cell phone bill, but we will never mention that (if) Nay-Nay stays in a dark room and shows no interest in life (no appetite, no friends, no television, no school work/involvement, and has very low self-esteem, etc.). We will never ask each other for help finding a mental health doctor just to check Nay-Nay out the same way we frequently want to know who has the best sale on Baby Phat apparel.
In short, our priorities are OUT OF ORDER and our babies suffer because of it.

An interesting point about teen suicide increases by the Journal of Counseling and Development, is the fact that the churches in African-American culture used to be the protective source of treatment against suicide (everything). As the role of the church decreased in the African-American community, the rate of suicides increased. I think this is remarkably true. Considering there are too many evil temptations in our society today with gangs and drugs and teen pregnancy and AIDS/HIV and illiteracy, etc., our teens are lost.

When we stop putting our children in church under God's protection, we lose control over them.If they begin to cry out for help by displaying behavior that will cause them to be "killed" as a way of committing suicide, then we have failed them even more. (That's a very interesting perspective, by the way). As parents, church is just not a priority for our children anymore and it shows in all forms such as suicide.

Startling, is the revelation by the Journal of Counseling and Development that awareness and skills are lacking by clergypersons in recognizing the symptoms in a teen that can lead to suicide. However, if our children are not in church, then should clergy be abreast of those skills? I am old school and believe that clergypersons can save anybody so my thought would be to educate clergypersons about this issue as a normal course of guiding them to lead the church. IMO, we are a people deeply rooted in spirituality and faith and maybe even genetically so. Therefore, we need to put our children back into church in order to save them and navigate them through those difficult years.

2) Clinical depression is closely tied to poverty, and a youth who is chronically unemployed will be exposed to criminal opportunities as a means to help the family "get out." This is a serious reality in our communities and when a youth cannot "get the family" out by any means necessary, their self-esteem sinks and the pressure increases. The attraction to crime becomes very handsome. As long as our communities are ridden with crime and poverty and despair, we are risking our youth to clinical depression and criminal suicide. Thus, we need to take an active role in improving our communities for our children. We need to dialogue with our teenagers about what's going on in the street and how it is affecting them emotionally. We need to encourage our children to talk to us about whatever fears they may have and we need to know what to do if a criminal suicide is underway. (I need to look into this one, too).

TIP: One thing I have begun to do regularly in my life walk to educate others about the mental illness of Bipolar, is to read the poetry many, many teens write. These poems can be very, very telling of what is on their minds mentally. Of course, there will be the typical love stuff as cupid starts shooting his arrows, but you would be surprised at how love shifts when that same child is going through a divorce with his parents or is moving away from his friends, etc.

One of the primary ways to improving our communities is to make healthcare accessible to our families and children. Mental healthcare is and should be equally imporatant as getting mandatory shots for your child to enter school. As parents, we need to discuss with other family members about techniques, skills, resources, etc. so that we know how to access these mental health outlets.

A casual conversation with a doctor can save a life. There is an organization that specifically focuses on depression in teens. The Child & Adolescent Bipolar Foundation is a great resource at 1187 Wilmette Avenue, PMB #331; Wilmette, IL 60091; 1.847.256.8525; www.bpkids.org.

Also, clergypersons might begin to raise their awareness about clinical depression by contacting the American Association of Pastoral Ccounselors at www.aapc.org.

Today, I wish that we save at least one teenager from ending his or her life. Each teenager has the potential to be our next President (yippie!), doctor, nurse, Educator, Counselor, Therapist, Mentor, Pastor, and the list goes on. If anyone reading this comment post has a myspace account, please join me as a friend so that we can continue to learn and network and end the stigmas about mental illness that can save lives.

Agnes ~ Too Wise Not To Praise Him!
Author of "Cooling Well Water: A Collection of Work By An African-American Bipolar Woman" ISBN 0975461206 Winter Release Pending - www.myspace.com/coolingwellwater

Brother William, I hope this helps (smile).
Friday, September 12th 2008 at 7:12AM
agnes levine

Wow Agnes, awesome Sis. Thank you for all that you add to this blog for God, for people...
Saturday, September 13th 2008 at 2:12AM
WILLIAM W. HEMMANS III