Suicide watch: after homicides and accidents, suicide is the third-leading cause of death among Black youth

If you were like me, you were shocked by the news of the death of the 18-year-old son of Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy. You were shocked that a young man with a chance to have such a bright future would feel so overwhelmed by certain aspects of his life that he would ultimately conclude that his only way out was to take his own life.

But even beyond who he was, or the multitude of things that he had going for him, if you were like me, you were simply shocked that an African-American teenager would commit suicide. Wasn't suicide a White thing?

Well, it might surprise you to know that it's not. In recent years, there has been an alarming rise in the suicide rate among African-Americans, particularly Black men.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 1980, the suicide rate for Whites aged 10-19 was 157 percent greater than that of Blacks. By 1995 there was only a 42 percent difference. Whites are still more likely to commit suicide than Blacks, but the suicide rate for all African-Americans doubled between 1980 and 1996.

In 2002, the latest year that statistics are available, the number of Blacks who committed suicide had tripled from the total 25 years ago. Of those, 84 percent were Black males. Teens are of particular concern.

And while it's true that everyone feels depressed at one time or another, when that feeling is paired with hopelessness, the result can be devastating. Experts say the most common reasons given for attempted suicides by teen suicide survivors were spats with a boyfriend or girlfriend, arguments with parents, school problems and sexual identity issues. These are equally true with White and Black teens, and even more so as an increasing number of Blacks move from traditional Black communities and into White suburbs.

Historians say part of the problem can be traced back to slavery, when it was believed that Blacks were incapable of feeling inner pain. Armed with misinformation, the Black community itself may be making the problem worse. When many of us think that depression and suicidal tendencies only run in families, and the only people who commit suicide are those who are either half-crazy, half-dead or the victim of abuse, we push the problem even farther underground. The result: Black men suffer in silence, give up the fight, or get treatment only in the most extreme situations.

Make no mistake, the depth of the Black man's buried mental and emotional pain is real. Brothers bear a uniquely unequal burden when it comes to assimilating into social institutions, such as family, church and school, while at the same time trying to fulfill the masculine role of provider and protector.

Warning signs associated with suicidal people include withdrawing from friends and family; loss of interest in usual activities; exhibiting signs of sadness, hopelessness and irritability. There could also be changes in appetite, weight, behavior, or the level of activity or sleep patterns.

The presence of one or more of these warning signs is not intended as a guarantee that the person is suicidal. The only way to know for sure is to ask. So ask! Help raise awareness about suicide in the Black community. Learn the signs of depression. Help erase the stigma.

When normal coping strategies are pushed to the limit, handling stress properly will result in the understanding that life, no matter how bad it may seem at the time, has value.

The National Hopeline Network, which can be reached at 1-800-SUICIDE, provides access to trained telephone counselors, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

COPYRIGHT 2006 Johnson Publishing Co.
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning