Suicide: We must deal with IT, or IT will keep dealing with us

Suicide Among Blacks It's a hidden crisis and it's killing more young black men than ever. Suicide is a taboo subject among many cultures, but the denial of mental health disorders runs rampant among African Americans.

 

We can't conquer what we won't confront. ~Paula White

Abraham K. Biggs committed suicide at 19

It's a taboo subject amongst African Americans, but the recent suicide of 19-year-old Abraham K. Biggs, recorded live on the internet, underlines the need for awareness and education about mental illness and suicide prevention in our community. It's time for us to come out of denial, in the name of Jesus.

Just last month, Def Jam executive, Shakir Stewart, was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in his home in the Atlanta suburb of Marietta. And in December 2005, James Dungy, son of NFL coach Tony Dungy, was found dead in a Tampa-area apartment. He, too, committed suicide.

All were black men, a precious and highly sought-after commodity. And with cases that garnered so much media attention, why are we still saying that it doesn't happen to us?

This week TV One is airing a documentary, "Unsung," a new series that profiles some of the most influential, talented yet forgotten R&B, Soul and Gospel artists of the 1970s, '80s and '90s. Two of those artists, Phyllis Hyman and Donny Hathaway, committed suicide. And like Biggs and Dungy, both struggled with mental illness.

We can't conquer what we won't confront. Powerhouse publicist Terrie M. Williams admits that her illustrious career representing the likes of Janet Jackson and Eddie Murphy wasn't enough to shield her from the pain of depression. And she dared to bring the issue of depression in the Black community to the forefront when she wrote "Black Pain: It Just Looks Like We're Not Hurting." Williams said she was mentally depressed and almost died as the result of not facing the music. And, author, E. Lynn Harris admits in his memoir, What Becomes of the Brokenhearted that he once battled depression.

Denial is a powerful thing. Authors Alvin F. Poussaint and Amy Alexander call it an unspoken crisis in the African American community. Kudos to those who survived depression and are now brave enough to share their stories in hopes that it will help someone else. We have soldiers coming home suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, a mental disorder. We need to know how and what we can do to help them. Unemployment is at a record high, a trigger for depression. In this case, we need to know how to help each other.

Depression can be treated successfully, yet many people in African American communities are not benefiting from proper treatment due to stigma and poor access to culturally competent mental health care. If you're as ignorant as I was about suicide and mental illness, resources are available. Remember, knowledge is power. We must equip ourselves with the knowledge needed to break the cycle of ignorance surrounding mental illness and suicide in our community. And it all starts with coming out of denial, IN THE NAME OF JESUS.

 

Lisa Maria Carroll
Single Mom...and so much more!

Click here for things to watch for when assessing suicide risks

Related books:

Lay My Burden Down by Alvin F. Poussaint, MD and Amy Alexander

What Becomes of the Brokenhearted by E. Lynn Harris

Black Pain: It Just Looks Like We're Not Hurting by Terrie M. Williams

Reviews

[~Qu33n B~]

Thank you for writing this. This is true and it needs to be told as the truth for people ti know what is really going on. Great writing!

~Qu33n B Cullen~