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#JamesDonaldson On #MentalHealth – #Black #Teen #SuicideRate By #Firearm Passes #White #Teen Rate For 1st Time, New #CDC Data Show. Philly #GunViolence May Be A Factor
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For the first time on record, the #firearm #suiciderate for #Black #teens is higher than for #white #teens, according to preliminary data from the #CDC
For the first time ever, #Black #teens are using firearms to die by #suicide at rates greater than #white peers.
The new data from the U.S. #CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention also shows #gun #suiciderates across all groups are the highest they’ve been since the mid-1990s.
In Philadelphia and other major cities grappling with unprecedented levels of #gunviolence, experts say the combination of frequent shootings, accessible #firearms, and a sense of #hopelessness exacerbated by #socialmedia likely contribute to the #suicide increase among #Black #teens.
“Unless we’re addressing all forms of violence and how that traumatizes #Black #youth … we’ll probably continue to see an uptick,” said Joseph Richardson, a professor of #AfricanAmerican studies at the University of Maryland. “Particularly because the #gun seems to be the easiest solution now to everything.”
Young people who live in areas where #gunviolence is common are more likely to visit the emergency room for psychiatric emergencies such as #depression, #PTSD, and ingestion of harmful substances than those who do not, according to a 2021 study from the University of Pennsylvania. Those visits are most common for #children residing within two to three blocks of where a shooting occurred.
People aged 18 and under make up 11% of Philadelphia’s 2023 homicide victims, up from 10% in 2022 according to data from the Office of the Controller.
Aliyah Kent, an 18-year-old who grew up in Germantown and graduated high #school this year, said she believes homicide and suicide are definitely related.
“With the violence, it could potentially scare people and scare #teenagers to think that ’I could be living today and not living tomorrow,’” she said. “It’s always a thought that’s on teenagers’ minds, and that could correlate with #suicide.”
Philadelphia is the latest city to crack down on straw purchases in an effort to curb gun violence.
#James Donaldson notes: Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes. Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use. Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space.#http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticle Find out more about the work I do on my 501c3 non-profit foundation website www.yourgiftoflife.org Order your copy of James Donaldson’s latest book, #CelebratingYourGiftofLife: From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy
Qayim Powe-Cobb said his life was “great” until March 2020, when his dad was fatally shot down the street from his house. He was in eighth grade.
“It changed my personality,” he said. “Now I knew sadness and #depression and all that was a real thing.”
That month marked the start of #COVID-19 lockdown, and he struggled to focus on #school while processing his feelings. He said his mom tried to support him after his dad’s death, but sometimes he would lash out.
“My sadness turns to anger, that’s why I distance myself from other people,” he said. “It changed me, it made me hurt her feelings a couple times. It was a long two years until things got normal.”
Now when he feels sad he tries to find somewhere to be alone, where he can listen to music or sleep.
Some #teens may not want to talk to their #parents about #mentalhealthissues, or may not have #parents in the home at all.
And due to #stigma around #suicide in some #Blackfamilies, loved ones may miss red flags or not know how to refer #children to help, said Alfiee Brendan-Noble, a #psychologist who runs a national #mentalhealth nonprofit called the Aakoma Project.
“There’s this piece of ‘that’s not going to happen to my #child, we don’t do that in the #Blackcommunity, #Black folks don’t die by #suicide, my #kid is not struggling with #depression,’” she said.
Other caring mentors in a child’s life can help them understand that “they are deserving of help, even if the #adults in their lives don’t want to get help for themselves,” she said.
“If a young person is angry, that’s not always impulse control or anger management that’s needed — sometimes there’s an underlying sadness and #depression,” she said. “And so what young people feel is acceptable is being angry because it pushes people away.”
Brendan-Noble said #teens who feel negatively about their own futures may be “putting themselves in harm’s way and knowing they might get killed.”
“That’s all they see is that people don’t live past 25,” she said. “There’s something about the environment that sort of feeds that. We can’t dismiss the impact of systemic discrimination and #racism.”
The presence of #school resource officers, sometimes called #school #police, comes with tradeoffs for #Black #students according to a new report.
4 weeks ago
Youth advocates in Philadelphia say job programs and educational opportunities can give teens hope and help them stay focused on their goals.
Kaliek Hayes mentors young #men aged 18-24 at the #Youth #Adolescent Outreach Community Awareness Program, including Powe-Cobb. He said giving them a goal to focus on and encouraging them to stay on track can keep them from making a drastic decision.
“It’s like tug of war — you have this feeling pulling you one way and all this support pulling the other way,” Hayes said. “We just want to have as many people as possible pulling on the rope.”
Creating more access
Though homicides are often concentrated in specific neighborhoods, those areas don’t see the type of support Sandy Hook and Parkland did following active shooter situations, Joseph Richardson said.
“[We’re] not seeing those communities being inundated with #mentalhealthresources and #mentalhealthworkers,” he said. “We’ve almost rendered #Black #youth invisible.”
The city of Philadelphia’s Department of #BehavioralHealth and Intellectual DisAbility Services offers the Engaging #MalesofColor initiative, which just produced a documentary about the #mentalhealth impacts of #gunviolence.
The department also runs the Network of Neighbors program, which trains residents to respond to #stress, #trauma, loss, and violence in their own communities. Participants may receive psychological first aid training, and may be asked to respond door-to-door or in neighborhood gathering spaces.
#Suicide in the U.S. has historically been most prevalent among older, #white #men. That group still has the highest rates, but they’ve been relatively stable for the last decade. Meanwhile, rates among #peopleofcolor aged 10-19 have more than doubled during the same time period according to an analysis of #CDC data from The Trace.
The first step to helping #Black #teens is making #Black #therapists more available, said Farida Boyer, executive director of Philadelphia nonprofit Black Brain Campaign.
“Because of #racism, they don’t feel comfortable with providing all the information to somebody who does not look like them,” Brendan-Noble said. “It will help if they can find somebody who walks like them, talks like them.”
Only 4% of U.S. #therapists are #Black, according to a 2020 report from the #AmericanPsychologicalAssociation.
Deshawnda Williams, a #socialworker who advocates for more #mentalhealthresources in Philadelphia, said there isn’t a dedicated local organization for #suicideprevention for #youthofcolor.
“I’ve never seen that,” she said. “The rate is higher now for #Black #teens committing #suicide — so where are you?”
Multiple Philadelphia nonprofit groups create peer-to-peer healing circles for #teens and offer #mentalhealthresources in #schools, recreation centers, and other community spaces.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text the #NationalSuicidePreventionLifeline at #988. The hotline is staffed 24/7 by trained #counselors who can offer free, confidential support. You can also reach out to the #CrisisTextLine by texting ‘Home’ to 741741, anytime. Spanish speakers can call 1-888-628-9454. People who are deaf or hard of hearing can call 1-800-799-4889.
James Donaldson is a Washington State University graduate (’79). After an outstanding basketball career with WSU, he went on to play professional basketball in the NBA with the Seattle Supersonics, San Diego/L.A. Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, and Utah Jazz. He also played for several teams in the European Leagues in Spain, Italy, and Greece, and he toured with The Harlem Globetrotters to wrap up his career. James was an NBA All-Star in 1988 while playing center for the Dallas Mavericks. In 2006, James was inducted into the Pac-10 Sports Hall of Fame and also the Washington State University Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2010, James was elected as a board member for the NBA Retired Players Association.
James frequently conducts speaking engagements (motivational, inspirational, educational) for organizations, schools, and youth groups.
In 2010, James was the recipient of the NBA Legends of Basketball ABC Award, awarded for outstanding contributions in Athletics–Business–Community.
He believes in being a role model for success and professionalism to the scores of young people to whom he devotes so much of his time. He currently serves on several boards and committees and is a member of many organizations.
James believes in developing relationships that create a “Win-Win” environment for everyone involved, and in being the best he can be!
For more information about James Donaldson or to request he speak at your event, contact him at:
James Donaldson is the author of “Standing Above The Crowd” and “Celebrating Your Gift of Life” and founder of the Your Gift of Life Foundation which focuses on mental health awareness and suicide prevention, especially pertaining to our school aged children and men.
If you’re interested in having James come and speak to your group of young adults, business entrepreneurs, aspiring political and community leaders, and athletic teams, please contact him at jamesd@yourgiftoflife.org and or leave a personal message for him at 1-800-745-3161. Keep up with him and read about how he is reaching out and making a difference in the lives of so many around the world at www.yourgiftoflife.org
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