Mental health experts are concerned about upward trends in suicide among Black youth.
Studies show they’re attempting suicide more often than all other racial and ethnic groups – and the suicide death rate is rising at a faster pace.
A number of things can contribute to the increased risk. One is the presence of a psychiatric disorder. Others include socioeconomic factors, racism, trauma and being the victim of bullying.
Experts say increasing access to treatment and highlighting protective measures—such as a young person having a strong support system—are ways to help reduce the risk.
Black youth suicide in the United States has been labeled a crisis by some mental health experts. Research shows that Black youth under 13 are twice as likely to die by suicide.
Suicide attempts among Black adolescents rose by 73% between 1991-2017.
Experts continue to study the how and why behind the increases. But Dr. Rhonda Boyd says one reason could be generational shifts.
"One of the things that may be different than other generations is that youth are able to see racist events over and over and over again everywhere they go. And we do have evidence that shows that there’s links between increased depression symptoms and post-traumatic stress symptoms when kids are exposed to racism," says Boyd, an Associate Professor & Psychologist at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Boyd adds that the underutilization of mental health services could be playing a role in Black youth suicide as well.
There is stigma associated with accessing treatment. And the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychology says mental health and substance use problems in Black youth are often unrecognized, undertreated and misdiagnosed. The reasons include bias, discrimination, and structural racism.
The Academy also says Black youth are also more likely to get poor quality care and less likely to receive follow up treatment.
"We probably have a perception of who's at risk for killing themselves and it looks different. And so, we want people to not ignore Black youth and think, oh, it's a phase, or see behaviors and put them into disciplinary environments or the legal system and know that they need mental health treatment," Boyd says.
Tarsha Wiggins, founder of Speak Wellness Behavioral Health Consulting, has created a space in Milwaukee for young people who may have difficulties with their mental health.
Earlier this year, she started Youth Trap Therapy sessions at the Sherman Phoenix on West Fond Du Lac Avenue. Wiggins defines Trap Therapy as taking Hip-Hop music and pairing it with conversations about emotional wellness.
Here she is during a Youth Trap Therapy session focused on suicide prevention and awareness.
Wiggins says she finds the rate of increase in suicide completion among Black youth to be shocking. So, it resonates with her that spaces must be created where youth can have culturally relevant conversations without stigma.
"There are conversations occurring, but they're occurring with this negative connotation layered. With that stigma like you may talk about it but it's such in a way that's shameful that anyone in the room that may be experiencing suicidal thoughts or maybe just experiencing emotional dysregulation, they don't feel comfortable in saying yes, I need help or yes, I'm struggling with something because of the tone around the conversation," says Wiggins.
Wiggins says it takes collaboration from everyone— families, businesses, grassroots organizations and others—to improve outcomes for young people.
Dr. Steven Dykstra says, young people in Milwaukee County face trauma daily.
"It isn't just the trauma of seeing someone shot or seeing someone beaten up or being beaten up or shot yourself it's the burden the stress the trauma that follows that when you're worried about it now every day," says Dykstra, a psychologist with the Children’s Community Mental Health Services & Wraparound Milwaukee.
Collaboration is a big part of Wraparound programs.
Families have a say in every aspect of their care, from specialties to cultural needs, and are assigned a care coordinator who works alongside them for support.
Next time, we’ll talk more about how Wraparound services seek to build on the strengths of individuals and their networks to create stable and sustainable plans for the families they serve.
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