As suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States, we can create ideas of who is - and isn’t -at risk. While the topic of suicide and Black Americans is beginning to come to the forefront, we still need to fuel the conversation on this serious issue. We must gain understanding on how suicidal ideation can lead to completion of suicide, as well as the role that mental illness and trauma play in contributing to suicidal thoughts or attempts.
And we must get it out of our heads that successful, Black women cannot become a victim of this tragic act. The shocking and heartbreaking recent suicide of Cheslie Kryst proves that a woman who appears to have it all can also be at risk.
Her suicide shook many Black women, including myself, to their core. This beautiful and vivacious Queen who was a former lawyer, entertainment reporter, and Miss USA 2019. What pushed her to the point of completing suicide? While we unfortunately may never know, her mental illness could have been a factor. Her mother said she had been living with “high-functioning depression.” Although it’s not an official medical diagnosis, it’s not uncommon for many who deal with depression to function as normal. They wear masks, their accolades disguising the internal turmoil they face. They get through their days, accomplishing the tasks at hand. They may be high achievers, who appear to be climbing on the right ladder of success. They can radiate joy and happiness; snapping the perfect smiling selfies.
But on the inside, they are struggling to hold it all together.
We can wrongly assume that suicide primarily affects white, outwardly depressed middle-aged men. In fact, only recently are we seeing more studies being directed towards the subject of how suicide impacts Black people. But we need to have the discussions about suicidal risk and prevention, mental illness, stressors unique to Black women, and the importance of therapy. We'll talk about all that today with Nadirah Habebullah, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who operates Healing Her Trauma.
Listen in as we also discuss the topic of high functional depression, when suicidal ideation becomes a danger, intervening for our loved ones and more.
