#JamesDonaldson on #MentalHealth – #Pandemic, #Racism Compound Worries About #Black #Suicide Rate

Experts warn of a looming #mentalhealthcrisis linked to the #coronavirus. And #doctors and researchers say the issues reverberate deeper among #Black people

By Associated Press

CHICAGO — Jasmin Pierre was 18 when she tried to end her life, overdosing on whatever pills she could find. Diagnosed with #depression and #anxiety, she survived two more attempts at #suicide, which felt like the only way to stop her pain.

Years of therapy brought progress, but the 31-year-old #Black woman’s journey is now complicated by a combination of stressors hitting simultaneously: #isolation during the #pandemic, a shortage of #mentalhealthcareproviders and racial trauma inflicted by repeated police killings of #Black people.

“#Black people who already go through #mentalhealthissues, we’re even more triggered,” said Pierre, who lives in New Orleans. “I don’t think my #mentalhealthissues have ever, ever been this bad before.”

Health experts have warned of a looming #mentalhealthcrisis linked to the #coronavirus outbreak, and the federal government rolled out a broad anti-#suicide campaign. But doctors and researchers say the issues reverberate deeper among #Black people, who’ve seen rising youth #suicide attempts and suffered disproportionately during the #pandemic.

#Mentalhealthadvocates are calling for more specialized federal attention on #Black suicides, including research funding. Counselors focusing on #Black trauma are offering free help. And #Black churches are finding new ways to address #suicide as #socialdistancing has eroded how people connect.

“There has been a lot of complex grief and loss related to death, related to loss of jobs and loss of income,” said Sean Joe, an expert on #Black suicides at Washington University in St. Louis. “There’s a lot of hurt and pain in #America going on right now, and you only are getting a sense of depth in the months ahead.”

Suicides overall have increased. Roughly 48,000 people in the U.S. died by #suicide in 2018, with the rate increasing 35 percent since 1999, according to the #CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention. #Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death among all ages. For ages 10 to 19, it’s second after accidents.

The rates of suicides and #suicide attempts for #Black adults have trailed white and Native American adults. But newer research shows an alarming rise in #Black young people trying to take their own lives.

#Suicide attempts rose 73 percent between 1991 and 2017 among #Black #highschool #students while suicidal thoughts and plans for #suicide fell for all #teens, according to a study published in November in the journal Pediatrics. The findings, including troubling #suicide trends among #Black children, prompted the #CongressionalBlackCaucus to issue a report in December deeming the situation a crisis.

Experts say the reasons are a complex mix requiring more study.

#Suicideriskfactors include a diagnosis like #depression or trauma or having a parent who committed #suicide. Many factors are amplified for #Black families, who often face higher poverty rates, disproportionate exposure to violence and less access to medical care.

The #pandemic has heightened the disparities.

#JamesDonaldson 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

#Black people are dying from #COVID-19 at higher rates, leaving them to grieve more in #isolation with restrictions on funerals and gatherings. Added to the mix is a national reckoning with #racism after #GeorgeFloyd’s killing.

“Dealing with #racism and stereotypes and all the inequity that we have to face, it’s bandaged up,” said Arielle Sheftall, an author of the Pediatrics study. “It feels like the bandage is ripped off and everybody is looking at it and staring at it, and we are bleeding profusely.”

Part of the problem is the study of #suicide remains largely white, with little race research. There’s also been a misconception of #suicide as only a “white problem.”

Michigan psychologist Alton Kirk was among the first to study #Black suicides in the 1970s, outlined in his 2009 book, “#Black #Suicide: The Tragic Reality of America’s Deadliest Secret.”

“When I first started, a lot of #Black people were in denial about #suicide,” he said. “We had suffered enough. We survived slavery and segregation and all this other stuff. They almost saw it as being a weakness.”

While many attitudes have changed, obstacles to health care persist.

For one, there aren’t enough #mentalhealthprofessionals. Also, treatment has traditionally been based on white experiences, potentially leaving some clinicians unprepared.

Each time there’s a publicized episode of #police brutality against #Black people, calls to the Trevor Project’s #suicideprevention lines spike immediately. The organization focuses on #LGBTQ youth, including addressing racial disparities.

“You’re already starting at a different point because you spent your life fighting back #racism,” said Tia Dole, the organization’s chief clinical operations officer. “People are walking around with a half-filled tank of emotional resources because of their identity.”

For #suicide attempt survivors, navigating the #pandemic means more uncertainty.

Kiauna Patterson, who graduated from Pennsylvania’s Edinboro University this year, tried to end her life in 2018 as she felt pressure from school and working three jobs to help support family.

Since losing university health care, she meditates daily and focuses on her goal of becoming a doula.

“You don’t really know what’s going on or what’s going to happen,” she said. “You’re taking each day, just one at a time, to try and grasp some type of control or calmness.”

Pierre, who uses her experiences to counsel others, doesn’t want people struggling alone. She created The Safe Place, a free #Black-oriented #mentalhealth app that’s seen more signups during the #pandemic.

Others are also trying to fill care gaps.

Donna Barnes, who runs the National Organization For People of Color Against #Suicide, plans a free online counseling course. After losing her son to suicide in 1990, she noticed a lack of resources for #Black families and started the group.

“It took me four years before I could smile again,” Barnes said. “It wasn’t easy. My friends and family didn’t know what to do with me.”

Trinity United Church of Christ, an influential #Black church once attended by former #PresidentBarackObama, has met increased need in Chicago with Zoom chats and calls.

The Rev. Otis Moss III used a recent podcast to discuss his sister’s #suicide, which occurred before his wedding in the 1990s.

He called it an effective medium as people remain isolated with services canceled. Moss said it took years to talk openly share about his sister’s schizophrenia and to stop blaming himself.

“It is an appropriate time to let people know there are many people who are walking the same road they are walking,” he said. “I found how to punch holes in the darkness and witness light shine through.”

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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:

www.StandingAboveTheCrowd.com
[email protected]
1-800-745-3161 (voicemail & fax)

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 [email protected] 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