Talk about mental health in black communities

I am a black female who worked as a social worker for almost 30 years before going back to school to get my credentials in mental health. I've discovered that one out of four people have a mental health diagnosis. The most prevalent mental health diagnoses are depression and mood disorders. The most common diagnosis for children is ADHD.

The subject of mental health has been taboo in black communities. It is becoming imperative that everyone understands the correlation between mental health and suicide. Historically, the demographics of suicide rates have always been higher in the white community. In the early 80s, researchers began to notice suicide occurring among young black males in significant numbers. Today, suicide is the third-leading cause of death for young black males and their white counterparts.

Please join us for a community conversation about mental health this evening from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Jane Boyd Community House, 943 14th Ave SE, Cedar Rapids.

Black males commit suicide at five times the rate of black females. Black females have the lowest suicide rate of all demographics, including children. I believe this has to do with socialization - females are socialized as caregivers. We can't kill ourselves because someone is going to need us - our child, our grandchild, our mom, dad, spouse, somebody. Males are socialized not to exhibit emotions and feelings. I'm speaking in general terms, there are men who do very well at expressing their emotions and feelings, and vice versa. Not all females are maternal.

In the May edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers reported that the suicide rate for black school-aged children 5-11 has almost doubled since 1993, while the suicide rate of their white counterparts has declined. Researchers noted that this was the first national study that found a higher suicide rate for blacks than for whites of any age group. 'I was shocked, to be honest with you,” stated Jeff Bridge, lead researcher and epidemiologist from the Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. Possible reasons stated for this phenomenon is that depression in younger children is often overlooked, and black children reach an early onset of puberty that can increase the risk of depression and impulsive aggressive behavior.

Looking at the cultural component of mental health, blacks do not often seek out services for mental health for multiple reasons, including distrust of the medical community. Also, to a certain extent, we have normalized our trauma and suffering. My former colleague, the late Virgil Gooding, used the word 'endemic”. It is a condition prevalent to a group of people. IN this case, it is used when discussing the state of black America's psyche. He believed that blacks suffered from dysthymia, a low-grade depressive disorder that is mild to moderate.

It is impossible for anyone to live in the United States and escape the residual effects of slavery. Mental health practitioners need to know that racism and discrimination compound the effects of mental illness for black clients.

As Martin Luther King, Jr. said, 'Our lives begin to end the day we remain silent about things that matter.”

' Linda Topinka, of Cedar Rapids, is a licensed clinical social worker. Comments: lindatopinka@aol.com