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#JamesDonaldson On #MentalHealth – Facing The #Black #SuicideCrisis
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Saving lives requires ending the silence and erasing the #stigma around #mentalhealth in the #Blackcommunity
Liz Courquet-Lesaulnier
On July 18, my brother Chris would have turned 59. But for him, there’s no blowing out the candles on a birthday cake, hugging his children and grandchildren, or sharing a selfie on #Instagram of him styling in his latest whip.
He died by suicide in January 2006 at the age of 41.
Along with being an author and journalist, Moore was the co-founder of #NAMI Urban LA, the Los Angeles chapter of #NAMI, the #NationalAllianceonMentalIllness. #NAMI acknowledges that it’s uncomfortable and frightening to talk about #mentalhealth and #suicide, but doing so enables people to get help and “avoid devastating consequences.”
“#Suicidalthoughts are a symptom, just like any other — they can be treated, and they can improve over time.” – #NationalAllianceonMentalIllness (#NAMI)
According to #NAMI, 21.4% of #Black folks — roughly 1 in 5 — experience mental illness annually. But, only 39.4% of #Black people who experience #mentalillness get treated for it.
A lack of health insurance — and the unaffordability of out-of-pocket care — is certainly a part of this, as is a lack of culturally competent #therapists or living in a healthcare desert. And, ahem, #therapists are less likely to call back a person with a #Black-sounding name than a #white one.
There’s also the reality that, in a survey, #NAMI California found that only 12.5% of #Black folks said they’re comfortable talking to close friends, family, and community members about their or a loved one’s #mentalhealth.
That pressure to keep quiet about #mentalhealthchallenges is the result of #stigma. Research shows that “63% of #Black people believe that a #mentalhealthcondition is a sign of personal weakness,” according to #NAMI California.
In 2005, the year before my brother died, Bebe Moore Campbell called for “a national campaign to destigmatize #mentalillness, especially one targeted toward #AfricanAmericans.”
With that in mind, tiptoeing around our need for #mentalhealthcare — and the need to address the high rates of #suicide that are devastating the #Blackcommunity — won’t help our loved ones get the care and support they need.
#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
In April, a report by the #CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention’s National Center for Health Statistics revealed that between 2016 and 2020, #Black folks had the highest rate of visits to an #emergencyroom due to #suicidalideation — meaning our loved ones had been thinking about, considering, or planning #suicide.
#CDC data also reveals that between 2018-2021, #suiciderates jumped 36.6% for #Black #youth aged 10–24 years. For #Black folks aged 25–44 years, there was a 22.9% increase.
Keep in mind these statistics aren’t just numbers. These are people. Heartbreakingly, there’s more.
A report released in February from The #TrevorProject found that in 2022, 25% of #Black #transgender and nonbinary young people reported a #suicideattempt in the past year.
In addition, in 2018, the most recent year of federal data, #suicide was the fourth leading cause of death for #Black #men aged 44 and under. In 2020, it was the top cause of death for #Black #girls aged 12-14.
No demographic of #Black folks goes unscathed.
What’s Causing the Uptick?
My slightly sarcastic response? Because #racism.
The #NAMI California website explains that “being treated or perceived as ‘less than’ because of the color of your skin can be stressful and even traumatizing. Additionally, members of the #Blackcommunity face structural challenges accessing the care and treatment they need.”
The #NationalInstitutesofHealth says that “stressful life events (such as the loss of a loved one, legal troubles, or #financial difficulties) and interpersonal stressors (such as shame, harassment, #bullying, discrimination, or relationship troubles) may contribute to #suiciderisk.”
I suppose being incarcerated qualifies as a “stressful life event” because being behind bars takes a significant #mentalhealth toll on folks who are or have been locked up.
My brother had struggled with severe #mentalhealthissues and addiction since his #teen years, which led — as is the case for too many #Black folks — to incarceration. Twenty-five years in and out of various prisons for petty crimes — crimes committed to get money for drugs.
A study led by University of Michigan researchers found that “#AfricanAmerican #men who have spent time behind bars show worse #mentalhealthconditions compared with men of the same race with no history of incarceration.” The researchers found that “psychological costs of incarceration do not end when the individual is released.”
My brother was paroled from prison a few months before his death. Having to check the box on a job application saying he had a criminal record meant he could only get a job at a meat packing plant.
Holding on to a job in the Detroit area — a part of the nation that was feeling the economic downturn before the Great Recession hit the rest of us — wasn’t easy for him. He got laid off from the meat packing plant, and after that, he got laid off from a poultry slaughtering plant. He was let go right before Christmas 2005. Less than a month later, in January 2006, our family changed forever.
Free or Low-Cost Help Is Available
This doesn’t have to be the fate of our loved ones. As #NAMI puts it: “#Suicidalthoughts are a symptom, just like any other — they can be treated, and they can improve over time.”
What gives me hope is there are so many resources now that didn’t exist in 2006 — particularly for #Black #men — when my brother was struggling.
Text the #CrisisTextLine, which provides free, 24/7, confidential support through text messages to people in crisis when they dial 741741.
#NAMI’s website is packed full of free resources — including what is probably the most comprehensive free help directory out there regarding #mentalhealth. Connecting with a #NAMI chapter and getting support and assistance for yourself or a loved one is also completely free.
You can call #NAMI Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. ET at 800-950-#NAMI (6264).
All these resources remind me of this truth: The surest way to combat this crisis is through open dialogue within the #Blackcommunity. We can create an environment where it’s OK to seek help. As #NAMI puts it, “Let’s break down #stigma so no one struggles in silence.”
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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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