Death Around the Corner: Suicide On the Rise for African Americans

Suicide rates continue to rise among black men, and the rates of depression among black people in general stay alarmingly high. Yet, this is one of the most under-discussed phenomenons in the black community. The HIV rate, high-risk diabetes, and other ailments are dissected on a daily basis and there are multiple initiatives designed to combat them — but when it comes to mental or emotional wellness, black folks are comparatively silent.

Dr. Lisa Lackey believes that one reason African Americans may not seek out professional help is because only about 2.3 percent of all psychiatrists in the United States are African American. Dr. Lackey says it’s important that culturally sensitive training become a part of the standard mental health care education process.

“Mental health problems are often physically related and can be treated with therapy or through medication,” she says.

Suicide is now the third leading cause of death among black men between the ages of 15 and 24. Despite this, suicide is still considered a “taboo” subject — particularly among African American men. The stigma is even stronger in the black community than in other demographics.

“The main problem,” says Dr. Lackey. “Is that there is a stigma associated with depression itself. Most black people don’t see depression as a mental illness, which means it is highly unlikely that they will seek help for it.”