Why Black men are killing themselves, warning signs, and what to do if you’re worried about someone.
Never woulda thought in years that my homie was suicidal
Had it all: money and kids and a wife that read the bible
They say it’s life and death in the slum
He had his reasons; I shoulda believed him
—Scarface, “The Suicide Note”
On January 5th, 2013, up and coming rap artist Freddy E took to his Twitter account, and submitted several messages which seemingly reflected feelings of anguish and despair. He then sent a final message expressing love for his parents and proceeded to take his own life. The 22-year-old was later found dead in his apartment of a reported self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Although there has been widespread speculation that the rap artist was having a difficult time coping with a recent relationship cessation, no definitive information confirming his reason for killing himself has been made public.
I do not pretend to know exactly what the young man was struggling with when he made the decision to take his life. However, I can say that oftentimes the individual struggling with depression is convinced that he/she is experiencing unbearable pain. Furthermore, the person may believe that such anguish has no end. That is to say, he/she feels horrible about his/herself (“bad me”) their current circumstances (“bad world”), and he/she believes the future is likewise horrible (“bad future”).
It is also possible that his leaving messages on Twitter were in some way a call for help. As I said in an earlier paper published on this site, it is my belief that most individuals, even those who complete suicide, remain conflicted about the act. Some part of the person desires to live, yet has a difficult time believing that life will improve.
The specific reasons why Freddy E chose to end his life remain unclear. What is clear, however, is that his suicide marks the fifth time in the past year that a high profile African American male has taken his own life. This includes the late Maestro of Soul Train Donald Cortez “Don” Cornelius, 44-year-old Hip hop executive and pioneer Chris Lightly, 19-year-old rap artist Capital Steez and 25-year-old professional football player Jovan Belcher, the latter of which killed his child’s mother before shooting himself in the presence of his coach and general manager.
In addition, thousands of African American males, who may not have the celebrity to make mainstream media news, take their lives each year. In fact, suicide currently represents the third greatest killer of African American males ages 15-24. According to the American Association of Suicidology, in 2007, among African Americans, males accounted for 82% of completed suicides. One African American dies by suicide every 4.5 hours. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the method of self-harm most frequently used in completed suicide was firearms.
Historically, Blacks maintained low rates of completed suicide; however, beginning in the 1980s, such behavior skyrocketed, increasing by 200 percent in some age groups. It should be noted that the numbers of completed suicides have been slowly declining since 2003. Despite this, in addition to the individual loss of life, the emotional and psychological cost to family members, friends and entire communities are enormous.
Why does suicide remain the number three killer of adolescent African American males and how can we begin to curb this incidence?
Some authors have reported that there is a silence within the Black community around depression and suicide. Feeding this silence is the erroneous notion that depression and suicide do not affect large numbers of African Americans; such issues are even thought to be a phenomenon of White Americans. Depression and suicide thus remain stigmatized, even as nearly two thousand African Americans commit suicide each year.
The stigma of mental illness is present in numerous ethnocultural communities. However, there appears to be a unique rejection of the mental health system within the Black community. This stigma dissuades Black men from seeking help, leaving them to agonize in isolation.
In addition to culturally mediated messages which may prevent help-seeking behaviors; it is also fair to say that many in the African American community have internalized mainstream (White male) patriarchal values. Such beliefs include the notion that ‘real men’ do not express emotions, with the exception of anger. Also associated with these beliefs is the view that to seek assistance with emotional pain is ‘weak’.
Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders acknowledged during a recent interview that while going through a divorce he, too, experienced severe depression which led to thoughts of suicide. The former two-sport athlete explained that he was often in the role of advisor or care-taker with his family and friends, therefore when he was overcome with sadness he felt he had no one with whom he could confide.
In addition to the culpability of the community, it is my assertion that the mental health field must also be held accountable for its failure to adequately reach out to African Americans.
Researchers such as Professor Jim Dobbins have appropriately critiqued the mental health field for its historical legacy of institutional racism, lack of cultural sensitivity among mental health practitioners, lack of theoretical attention to socio-cultural variables and the tendency for people of color to erroneously receive more severe diagnoses when presenting for mental health services. Each of these dynamics directly contributes to low service utilization and high treatment dropout rates for African American males.
How can we help?
On the interpersonal level we can begin by engaging in open and honest discussions. We can begin to demystify depression and suicide as well as create an atmosphere where conversations about intense sadness become normalized.
It is also important to stay in touch with warning signs. Most people who are seriously considering suicide typically give overt indication of their intentions. Here is a list of important signs to be aware of. It should be noted that this list is by no means exhaustive:
- Dramatic change in behavior
- Talking repeatedly about death and dying
- Giving away prized possessions
- Alcohol or drug abuse
- Uncharacteristically withdrawing
- Recent significant losses such as someone close dying, loss of job, home, money, status
- Unusual anger outbursts or aggressive behavior
- Frequent crying or otherwise expressing sadness
- Dramatic mood swings
- Lack of eating or sleeping as well as the opposite, eating or sleeping all the time
- Hyperactivity or acting out behavior, particularly in young people
- Depression that seems to quickly disappear for no apparent reason
In isolation, any one of these symptoms does not necessarily mean that the person is thinking of suicide. However, my suggestion is that should you become the slightest bit concerned, simply check in with the person.
Furthermore, at times we may ask a friend “what’s wrong” and they respond “nothing.” However, if you remain convinced that there may be something concerning about their disposition, then I suggest you keep asking. It may even help to talk with their other friends and family to see if there is a pattern to their behavior.
Also, be aware of the resources in your community. I strongly suggest counseling/therapy if you or anyone you know is experiencing symptoms consistent with depression or is having thoughts of suicide.
As mentioned earlier, the mental health field in general must play a more central role both in providing critical outreach to communities of color as well as ensuring that practitioners are equipped to understand the importance of cultural context in providing competent clinical care.
The one size fits all approach is etiologically incongruent with the realities of African American men. One way to overcome the inherent problems is for clinicians to be culturally competent enough to integrate culture into their interventions and modify as needed.
In Canada and the U.S., the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-TALK (8255). In the U.K., ring the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90.
Read more on Suicide.
According to the depression triad it seems most blackmen have felt this way at some point.If the APA really wants to help it would require a demonstration of cultural competence to practice and get a degree.Anything else is window dressing and shouldn’t be taken as a serious attempt at change.
Bill… one last, last thing. I am truly grafeful for your professionalism, which is not something that I have experienced before working with or talking to therapists.When one steps so clearly outside of the box, as I have, some people think you are crazy ;m). Thanks.
Bill.. Lastly on adopting the patriarchy. I was born into this choas my friend, I didn’t create it.And to tell some youngperson that they should adopt your views or bell hooks on masculinity when there is no support structure for a still developing mind and identify to fall back on creates more problems than it solves.I was a SAHD 28 yeras ago and because my extended family and society wasn’t ready for such a thing, I was isolated and was treated poorly by the mothers I came in contact with( this still happens today to some SAHD’s). Some of you… Read more »
Bill…Who did Beyonce, easily considered one of the most beautiful and influence and powerful women of her generation marry? She married Jay Z a certifiable gangster of the highest order, the man who made black gangsterism mainstream, a man who sold drugs to his community, and, is considered by many to represent the epitome of blackmale masculinity and success.Hell, even the President has him on speed dial.bell hooks has little credibility in my hood because of these kinds of oversights and biases she represents.These kinds of contradictions haunt feminism and female culture in general.I will start listening to bell hooks… Read more »
Bill… I don’t beieve in the patriarchy, I define myself. Thats what I teach the boy’s that I work with. I also teach them that confusing messages from the likes of bell hooks doesn’t help them, at all.I knew from the moment that I read Mr Cloke’s two sentences of indiffrent diagnosis of blackmale suicide that bell hooks theories,and I emphasize theories, were not far away.The statement that blackmales adpoted patriarchlism,as if they had choices, is such a deception. As Malcom X once said, ” I didin’t land on Plymounth Rock,Plymouth Rock landed on me.”Furthermore, this deception hides the very… Read more »
Thank you all so much for your comments. This is precisely the beginning of the type of dialogue I am hoping that people all around this nation are having. It is my opinion that with an issue as complex as the taking of one’s life that there is no easy answer or solution. OgWriter, I was saddened to hear about your experience while seeking assistance through psychological services. Unfortunately I too have received what I would describe as inadequate counseling when I was struggling with depression in the past. For that matter, I am sure that despite my strong desire… Read more »
i hope men ignore the ‘silencing stance’ from the cat commenter, and continue to feel free to talk about suicide, vulnerability on this thread
Bill…could you touch on the impact on the blackmale pysche of emasculation that comes from within the first circle of infulence of human development,the family.?Lauguage such as,”All blackmen ain’t shit!” “I don’t need no man.” ” All black men are weak.”,etc coming from internal sources. thank you.
Cat Mahari… freddy and blackmen committ suicide for two reasons;1)they adpoted the patriarchy.Quantify that for me.Which blackmen?Of what generation?From what part of the country?What ages are they? What was there family background? What impact did social and institutional racism have? The point about not going to therapy is questionable as to its importance here.If in the past it wasn’t needed,why now?
Bill…Man,damn,I’m glad your here.The experiences I wrote of are real but are of secondary importance to me in this discussion. I work with youth at Oakland high school in Oakland,Ca and in the last eight years,11 kids I knew have been killed.Nonetheless,I’m in the mix,I matter and I love it.Understanding this stuff is important to me. Besides that, I have managed these kinds of thoughts my whole life.I even have a system I created to support that.I assumed these feelings were just a part of the burden of being a blackman in America. I was ten in 1965 when I… Read more »
Cat Mahari…unfortunately,I was experiencing some problems with my computer in a public space,so my message was disjointed. And that mother I saw and heard shocked me and pissed me off.I heard similar things growing up,my bad.Allow me to clarify. I think Mr Johnson gets it right and Mr Cloke gets it dangerously wrong and I would not reccomend his critical analysis of suicide by men of color to anyone.As Mr Johnson stated he doesn’t know why Freddy committed suicide because he didn’t know him which sounds reasonable to me.However,this didn’t prevent Mr Cloke from saying he KNEW exactly why Freddy… Read more »
@Bill…I must also say that I was stunned and insulted, though not surprised, to see Mr. Cloke’s assessment-judgement-that Freddy and other blackmen who committ suicide, do it for two reasons: They have adpoted the patriarcal model of masculinity and they don’t seek help from pyschologists.He also said that due these two issues, there was nothing that could have been done to save Freddy.Wow!? This is not my first bad experience with therapy. The first came when my mother went to a feminist therapist who told her family was killing her and she needed to get away from them in order… Read more »
what is your point? I see that you have quoted a Mr. Cloke. According to you, Mr. Cloke believes that there is nothing that can be done about the issue of suicide of African American males. Dr. Johnson has not stated that – anywhere – in this article. Yet, you seem to devise an implication of agreement between these two professionals on that conclusion. Your use of logic has created an invalid statement. You also commented upon your negative experiences in therapy. While it is unfortunate that you have had traumatic relations with therapist, I have no idea what your… Read more »
I think that should change many things in society, we have created a society that makes us unhappy, something must be wrong don’t you think? In a consumer society, money is overrated. People think that money is happiness and lose their happiness in search of money. Discrimination exists as a power struggle with the power of money … I’m Mexican and this is our daily reality. Moreover technological advances are intended to isolate, to be distrustful and selfish. We have to look within ourselves and know that above all need love, and love is the creator of all things. Starting… Read more »
Sandra…I think you raise some good points about the prevalence of unhappiness related depression.
@Mr. Johnson..You get so many things right , perhaps I can add something if value to the dialogue. Though I am 57 I still consider myself, in some ways to be a black youth. Don’t fret, it doesn’t reflect some kind of Peter Pan syndrome. I have raised three adult children who are good folks with college degrees. I have come to know the struggle with suicide to be as common to my existence as the sugar on my cereal. I have long since stopped hiding from it. As near as I can tell it is part and parcel to… Read more »
It is also possible that his leaving messages on Twitter were in some way a call for help. As I said in an earlier paper published on this site, it is my belief that most individuals, even those who complete suicide, remain conflicted about the act. Some part of the person desires to live, yet has a difficult time believing that life will improve. While that being a call for help is possible I wonder if it was a matter of giving some sort of final notice to the few people that he knew cared about his whereabouts. Almost like… Read more »
Im a 21 year old male who lives on a college campus. I see all mixes of people and Im pretty sure I can identify why afrian americans so often take their own lives. First off, as people we are all pretty unique. In the white culture we can fit in the clique of rocker, hipster, geek, jock, student, and whatever else we want. There is variety that’s fits our personalities.. in the African amerian culture the only choices they get are “rapper/ghetto person” or nothing. There is no variety for African americans to be other than this clique so… Read more »
Your thought process (as revealed by your comment) is definitely part of the problem. _______________ “In the white culture we can fit in the clique of rocker, hipster, geek, jock, student, and whatever else we want. There is variety that’s fits our personalities.. in the African amerian culture the only choices they get are “rapper/ghetto person” or nothing. There is no variety for African americans to be other than this clique so therefore I feel theyre never really able to develop themselves and form real connections with other people.” _______________ Could it be that YOU and people like you are… Read more »