September is Suicide Prevention Month — an opportunity to raise awareness of this growing crisis. Those who value life and recognize the threat of suicidal thoughts, suicidal ideation (detailed visualization of taking one’s own life), and actual suicide attempts use this month to shift public perception, spread hope, and share vital information with people affected by suicide.

The goal of Suicide Prevention Month efforts is to ensure that individuals, friends and families have access to the resources they need to discuss suicide prevention and to seek help.

Here are some reasons suicide prevention must be placed atop our list of priorities.

SUICIDE IS NOW A BLACK THING

There was a time when suicide was considered one of those things Blackfolk just don’t do. No longer. Suicide, unfortunately, is absolutely a Black thing that we better understand so we can reduce or end it.

“Over the last decade, suicide rates in the United States have increased dramatically among racial and ethnic minorities, and Black Americans in particular,” Dr. Rheeda Walker, professor of psychology, director of the University of Houston’s Culture, Risk and Resilience Lab and author of The Unapologetic Guide to Black Mental Health wrote. “Suicide deaths occur across the lifespan and have increased for Black youth, but the highest rate of death is among Black Americans aged 25-34 years of age.”

So, again, Gen Z and younger individuals are attempting and committing suicide more than any other demographic group of Blacks.

MUST ADDRESS THE UNADDRESSED

Most research on stress (which directly relates to suicide rates) fails to mention how systemic racism, historical barriers, and inequities have left marginalized communities with higher rates of trauma, loss and bias. According to Word In Black reporter Anissa Durham, Vic Armstrong, vice president for health equity at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, says these mental health challenges have largely gone unsupported and unaddressed. 

“African American and Black communities continue to be marginalized in mental health research and face disproportionate inequities in accessing care, support, and services needed to improve outcomes,” stated Armstrong.  

Calls are being made for more involvement immediately from policymakers, community leaders, the health care system, and employers to help support stressed-out parents trying their best to support their stressed-out children.

PARENTAL STRESS/FEAR

With children being stressed out like never before and attempting suicide at alarming rates, parents too are stressed like never before. The U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has confirmed this, saying parents with children under 18 are experiencing all-time high stress. Durham reported in her Word in Black article “What Black parents say on parenting” that the Aug. 28 advisory on the mental health and well-being of parents detailed how some of the top stressors for parents include economic instability, concerns over children’s health and safety, parental loneliness, and difficulty managing social media. It’s a dangerous dynamic: children stressing is stressing parents, while parental stress is stressing their children. Not a good mix.

HOUSTON HAS A LOT OF STRESSORS

A year or two ago, Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis said in an op-ed letter, “Houston is stressful.” He was right then, and his assessment, unfortunately, is still on point. Houstonians brave floods, traffic, oppressive heat, and suffocating humidity. And even though Houston is celebrated as being the most diverse city in the nation, that diversity has not translated to equal access to healthcare, educational opportunities, HBCU vs PWI funding, business funding and fresh foods. Moreover, the criminal justice inequalities that dog America, are alive and well in Houston. Additionally, Texas has one of the most Republican-dominated and conservative state legislatures in the country, and they have been accused of having an anti-Houston, anti-Harris County bias in terms of the laws they pass.

Accompanying these stressful situations is the rising suicide rate. According to the Houston State of Health, suicide is the leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for more than 33,000 deaths every year. The suicide rate in Houston’s three-county region has also increased in the last 20 years – from 10.3% in 2001-2004, to 11.2% in 2017-20, per 100,000 residents.

MORE STRESSFUL DAYS

According to Understanding Houston, counties with more unhealthy days, which includes significant stress, depression or emotional distress, are indicative of “higher unemployment, poverty, and undesirable educational and health outcomes” than counties with fewer unhealthy days. The average number of mentally unhealthy days increased in Texas between 2016 and 2019. While the national average rose from 3.8 days in 2016 to 4.5 days in 2019, the number in Texas rose from 3.4 days in 2016 to 4.2 days. For Blacks, it’s worse. The Black population in Texas is more likely to report five or more days of poor mental health, compared to their white and Hispanic counterparts, the report says.

RESOURCES 

  • National Maternal Mental Health Hotline is a free, 24/7 hotline with real-time, confidential support. Call or text 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262) to speak to a professional counselor. 
  • Therapy for Black Girls is an online space dedicated to encouraging the mental wellness of Black women 
  • Loveland Foundation also focuses on Black women. Its resources and initiatives are collaborative and they prioritize opportunity, access, validation, and healing. 
  • Therapy for Black Men is a directory to help men of color in their search for a therapist. Using the directory, men can search for a therapist by location, specialization, credentials, and issues they treat. 
  • Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective is a collective of advocates, yoga teachers, artists, therapists, lawyers, religious leaders, teachers, psychologists and activists. They provide education, training, advocacy and creative arts to remove barriers of accessing or staying connected with emotional health care and healing. 
  • Soul Shop for Black Churches is a one-day workshop designed for clergy, staff, lay pastors, and faith-based clinicians in the Black Church. Soul Shop equips leaders who are on the front lines of the mental health crisis to minister to all people who have been impacted by trauma and struggle in regard to suicide. 
  • AFSP’s L.E.T.S. Save Lives: An Introduction to Suicide Prevention for Black and African American Communities. It’s a presentation created by experts in Black and African American mental health and suicide prevention. It’s designed to reduce cultural stigma, foster conversations about mental health, and raise awareness of suicide prevention for individuals who identify as Black or African American. You can contact your local AFSP chapter to learn more. 
  • Call the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline for 24/7 free and confidential support for people in distress.   
  • The Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7, confidential support through text messages to people in crisis when they dial 741741 

I'm originally from Cincinnati. I'm a husband and father to six children. I'm an associate pastor for the Shrine of Black Madonna (Houston). I am a lecturer (adjunct professor) in the University of Houston...