“You, Too?” Black Men Face Mental Health Crisis
*This story contains content talking about suicide, suicidal ideation and mental health.
Mental health challenges are negatively affecting the Black community, and Black men, in particular, are having a mental health crisis of their own. In a world full of challenges, they are struggling and dying at alarming rates. In fact, the PTSD rate for Black men is 12 to 22%.
“There's an uptick with Black men and suicide, especially within the ages of 19-29, and that's concerning. We've had an increase in the number of students,” said Dr. Vickie Jester, Director of the Office of Counseling and Accessibility Services at CAU. “What we're finding is that men aren't always vocal about the challenges that they are experiencing.”
According to the Center for Disease Control, Black suicide rates are on the rise. Notably, suicide rates for Black men are climbing at a faster rate, making Black men four times more likely to die by suicide than Black women.
“A lot of times fear and ignorance make you feel like death is the answer,” said Tarell Kyles, a licensed psychotherapist on CAU’s campus. “It's not, but I get how it feels that way.”
“Trauma impacts the way that we relate to the world, how we see the world, how we respond, and sometimes we normalize it and are unaware that our behavior can be related to a trauma response or some trauma that we have.” —Dr. Vickie Jester
Clark Atlanta is taking steps to support their students through support networks and special services.
On Wednesday, Sept. 23, CAU’s Office of Wellness Services put on the Fall Health and Fitness Fair on the promenade. Parts of the event were meant to spread awareness of services and bring attention to suicide prevention.
At the event ,they screened 25 people for suicidal ideation. The office also put on an aromatherapy event called “Soul Care Night.” Aromatherapy is said to help with anxiety and mood regulation.
While talking about common problems seen on Clark Atlanta’s campus, Kyles said, “People come here with a lot of s***, you feel me? When you don't deal with those problems, being out here and independent, it just makes it worse. You don't even really have the tools to deal with some of the stuff you're gonna deal with here.”
As young adults enter college, their minds are still developing. The patterns people learn growing up can travel with them, and they don't even know it.
Jester calls this trauma. “Trauma impacts the way that we relate to the world, how we see the world, how we respond, and sometimes we normalize it and are unaware that our behavior can be related to a trauma response or some trauma that we have,” said Jester.
“They say here now that 18.6% to 19.7% of Black and African American adults experience a mental health illness in a year. That 20% experience some type of serious psychological distress, and trauma,” said Jester. “But you know, our people, or Black Americans, have experienced a lot of trauma. I think that it's generational. I think that from the back from the time of slavery… trauma gets carried over and a lot of it has not been dealt with.”
Many young people carry this intergenerational trauma—the passing down of traumatic experiences, stress responses, or psychological distress from one generation to another. The impact can be psychological, emotional, and/or biological.
Silence is the “silent” killer of Black men.
When trauma isn’t processed correctly, it can solidify into toxic traits. For men, this is a factor that can lead to toxic masculinity. Counselors work to help men recognize how their behaviors may be responses to generational or personal trauma rather than inherent personality traits. A lot of men are taught a version of toxic masculinity—keep your issues to yourself; be strong for your family. There is a strong sigma in older generations about therapy and being judged for getting mental help. Young boys mirror these traits they see and develop the same problems. Silence is the “silent” killer of Black men.
Experts say the signs to look for are isolation and behavioral changes, such as someone suddenly secluding themselves. People should also look out for anyone abusing substances like marijuana, alcohol or even prescriptions.
Anyone struggling with mental health problems shouldn’t suffer alone. There are different resources around the campus, AUC, and Atlanta. If you or someone you know needs help, please reach out.
Resources
Men of CAU, PantherFit, and accessibility services teamed up to offer services. Silence the Shame is a nonprofit organization that educates communities on mental health and wellness. One of the best ways to tackle these problems is through community. It helps to know that you are not alone.
For people who need help, there is the suicide hotline 988. For Clark Atlanta students, the Office of Counseling and Accessibility Services is located at 128 Mildred Street across the street from Panther Stadium. The office moved from Trevor Arnett Hall.
The offices are open Monday through Friday and on call 24/7, including weekends. Walk-ins and appointments are available. For students who live on campus, public safety or the dorm RA’s can get in contact with the office as well. Services are free of charge.
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