Dr. Rheeda Walker, a psychologist at the University of Houston, has earned national acclaim for her work bringing to the nation’s attention the epidemic of suicide in Black young adults, teens and adolescents.
With her best-selling book “The Unapologetic Guide to Black Mental Wealth,” and other means, Walker continues to sound the alarm about mental health challenges in the Black community, and the continuing rise of suicides, even by Black children.
Thankfully, Walker is not alone.
Houston has a wealth of Black psychologists and mental health professionals dedicated to equipping individuals, families and whole communities with the tools necessary to curb this deadly issue.
Dr. Xyna Bell, a private practice psychologist and founder of CURE (Coalition of Urban Resource Experts); Dr. Willie Mae Lewis, founder of the Institute for Psychological Services and the Women’s Resource Center for Women and Their Families; and Dr. Gloria Batiste-Roberts, head coach of the Texas Southern University Debate Team, adjunct professor of Social Work and CURE member; are just some of the local frontline warriors seeking to provide Houstonians with strategies and tactics to create a better reality.
SIGNS
Dr. Xyna Bell: When you see people withdrawing, they’re not as talkative, they don’t interact with the family. They’ve cut off from their friends. You will hear children begin to say things like, “I wonder what it would be like if I wasn’t here” or you’ll see an increase in irritability. When people are getting close to doing something, making gestures and attempting, they will have an “I don’t care attitude. It doesn’t matter.” So, risk-taking, especially with adolescents, may increase. You’ll see more risk-taking in terms of substance abuse, engaging in driving fast or engaging in risky behaviors. As a parent, watch what changes in your child’s mood that’s out of character. As a spouse, listen to that underlying theme. If someone is saying “I’m tired, I can’t get going,” sometimes that’s code for “I’m depressed. I’m thinking about ‘Is this worth at all?’” Part of it has to do with listening. Part of it has to do with observing, knowing your loved one well enough to know when something’s off.
Dr. Willie Mae Lewis: I pay attention if people are trying to give you a lot of things or if they’re writing their will all of a sudden, cleaning their closets out, changing their dress, and maybe they are grumpy people, but all of a sudden, they’re just so happy or vice versa. That we have to pay attention to because that’s when they’ve really made up their minds. They have really made peace with what they’re going to do. So, we need to monitor. But those are just some of the symptoms that we need to pay attention to. If you find a person sleeping all of a sudden more than they usually sleep, that’s a big indicator, particularly changes in dress, changing habits.
Dr. Gloria Batiste-Roberts: I work a lot with young people (students). They carry their feelings on their sleeves. So, with young people, if you see them all the time moping around, looking sad all the time, just mad with the world, these are some of the things they’ll say: “Nobody likes me. They don’t want to be with me.” Those are serious signs where you need to get closer to them so that you can say, “I see a lot of times that you don’t look happy. How are you feeling? What does a typical day like for you and can I help to make you feel better?” They’re usually going to tell you that they’re not feeling good. You have to slowly bond with them first before they will accept your recommendations.
WAYS TO SUPPORT OR HELP PREVENT
Bell: You have to be comfortable enough to talk about feelings, to put it out there, to ask questions, to be encouraging. We have to make time for each other in the present. So, it’s not one of those conversations where you have with your cell phone in your hand. It’s that eye-to-eye contact. It’s that actual bringing up the conversation that we’re so uncomfortable talking about. The next step is that if your loved one is saying, “I don’t know what to do,” there are professionals in the community. There are crisis hotlines. I hate to recommend self-help books because sometimes they don’t speak specifically to a person. But get educated. Education is important. And the other thing I talk about is making emotions a part of our everyday conversation. Helping a child to label how they’re feeling when something happens—you’re happy, you’re sad… being comfortable with emotions.
Lewis: If you think that they are thinking about it, make sure you remove from your home or your kitchen, all knives or things that could hurt them. That’s the very first thing we want to pay attention to. Also, get them involved in some activities together with you or within the home. I have people setting up board games, having competitions within the home. Get them involved in some activities out of the home, but you’re participating. So, I’m really working hard to get parents to participate in activities. And get them in activities like football or something, exercises,- and even music. There’s something about music and movement and dance that actually helps the person become connected mind, body and spirit
RESOURCES
- 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
- The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD
- 24-Hour Crisis Line; 713-970-7000
- Crisis Intervention Hotline of Houston operates free, confidential, anonymous crisis and suicide prevention counseling, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Call 832-416-1177; For Teens 832-416-1199 (CALL), For Teens: 281-201-4430 (TEXT)
- Disaster Distress Hotline: 1-800-985-5990: Txt 66746 to connect with a LCSW
- LGBTQIA+ Switchboard Houston; 24 Hour Helpline: 713-529-3211
- United Way of Greater Houston Helpline, 2-1-1 or 713-957-4357
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
- The TrevorLifeline for LGBTQIA+ Youth: 1-866-488-7386⠀
- Crisis Text Line: Text ‘MHA’ to 741741
- Veterans Crisis Line: Dial 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1 to talk to someone or send a text message to 838255 to connect with a VA responder.
