Leaning In, Suicide Awareness Month
It’s Suicide Awareness Month and it’s a complicated one - it’s often one of the hardest mental health topics to talk, write, or speak about whether it’s in a therapy session or with a close friend. We just don’t want to.
We often feel it’s scary. It’s complex. It’s like trying to navigate shark-infested waters and all you have is a makeshift raft, one oar, and an unhealthy memory of the movie Shark Tales.
But this is where that thinking needs to end, with you and me - right now - today we should lean in. We need to discuss it. The overall rate of suicide has decreased by 3% but in 2019 was the leading cause of death among Black people between the ages of 15 and 24, and about 4.2 times higher for Black men than Black women [x].
There is no one single reason, it’s often a combination of personal and social factors that lead to suicidal ideation. For Black folx, we can often trace societal impacts from our historical experiences. We have been exposed to violence and trauma, even from racist healthcare practices, throughout our history in America and now we experience it more vicariously through social media. This compounds within us leading to depression, feelings of anger, guilt, shame, and loss of hope [x], and on the community level - stigma. Whether you work in the mental health field or not, we are often talking about experiences that traumatized friends or us, and we don’t have the proper tools or spaces to remove ourselves from it.
When at home, it’s hard to bring openness around these topics to the table. Black folx have had to carry a high level of resiliency when it comes to our lives and this can often lead to us not talking about what is really happening within our minds and bodies - experiences that are often shared amongst many. Whether it’s trauma in early childhood, dealing with family going through their own struggles, or experiences as we grow that keep us feeling lost, stuck, or dealing with a familiarity that doesn’t quite sit well. For Black women, the narrative of The Strong Black woman has eaten away at the foundation of what it means to be human, with feelings, interests, and autonomy outside predefined roles causing women to reject their own needs and keep many thoughts at bay. For Black men, there is often little to no conversation around one’s feelings - due to the stigma of weakness, fragility, or being ostracized for embodying a level of femininity [x] - it’s leaving young Black boys nowhere to go when things get too tough. These cycles need to end!
Look for the signs. For those closest to us, we are often the first to notice when things don’t feel right, especially if they mention feeling overwhelmed or hopeless, begin to withdraw or isolate themselves, exhibit new erratic or aggressive behavior, etc. [x] You may be the key to seeing the early signs and providing intervention.
Speak up. Don’t rest on “someone else will say something”. Asking someone directly if they are having suicidal thoughts will not make them have suicidal thoughts but it will help them recognize you are there.
Share your story. Discussing your own mental health with others can help increase the likelihood of others seeking help for their own struggles. Don’t allow a stereotype of strength or toxic masculinity to keep you from sharing your experiences. Being vulnerable (open and honest) is not a weakness.
Reaching out has saved many lives and we need to continue to make space for those needing to build healthy resiliency within themselves and their communities. If you are needing support, please reach out to a trusted friend or family member but know that they may not have all the resources needed to help right away. Additionally, our communities continue to grow and show up, there are many people putting in the time to be a resource for mental health and healthier conversation. Reaching out is not a burden, you are not a burden. Please contact the crisis resource below if you need immediate assistance.
Crisis Text Line (https://www.crisistextline.org) - Text MN to 741 741. The Crisis Text Line provides free crisis support 24/7 for any crisis.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK(5255) or 988 (https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org) – The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals.
State Mobile Crisis Services (https://mn.gov/dhs/people-we-serve/people-with-disabilities/healthcare/childrens-mental-health/resources/crisis-contacts.jsp) – Every county in Minnesota provides Mobile Crisis Services for both children and adults that may be experiencing suicidal feelings or mental health crisis. Crisis services are available within each county 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. County crisis teams are available for phone support as well as face-to-face crisis help.
