Church hosts conference to address mental health in the Black community
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), in 2023, suicide was the third leading cause of death among African Americans ages 15 to 34 in the U.S.
Pastor Dianne Young with the Healing Center says this is why her church gathered professionals from across the country to educate people about depression and break the silence surrounding suicide in the Black community.
'We want to be able to let people talk freely about their struggles. We mention that we have them, but we don't talk about it,' said Pastor Young.
Her church hosted the National Suicide and Black Church Conference at Southwest Community College.
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'There was a theory that it didn't happen to Black people or African-Americans, but we found out it did from our own personal experiences,' she said.
Executive Director of the American Psychiatric Association Foundation, Rawle Andrews Jr., says the stigma surrounding depression among Black people stems from three things: fear, shame, and discrimination.
'We were already thought to be less than human or second class, and then when I tell you I'm struggling with a mental health condition, now I'm leaning into the perception that I'm less than. I'm less than human,' said Andrews Jr.
The APA says some of the common warning signs include talking or writing about death, withdrawal from friends and family, dramatic mood changes, and increased alcohol or drug use.
'If you don't see that person for a couple of days and their body language changes, get interested. Get curious,' said a workshop speaker. 'This is teaching you all to recognize, not diagnose, because when you diagnose somebody inappropriately, that can feel like a judgment or a label. Don't do that.'
If you or someone you know is experiencing a crisis, experts encourage you to call the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.
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