Q3: What are the risks, particular to young Black boys, for depression? For suicide?
Dr. Isaiah Pickens Risks for depression are multifaceted, with some risks being biological in nature such an individual having a neurochemical predisposition that lead the brain to produce fewer neurochemicals necessary to elevate or stabilize mood, and other risks being environmental such as traumatic and adverse life experiences. Among many of our young Black boys we see perceptions of hypermasculinity that can lead to pressure to act a certain way, distort perceptions of self, or create a barrier from getting the support necessary when signs of depression first start as contributors to depression and place them at risk for suicide.
Dr. Angela Ali I’m addition to post-traumatic stress that results from ongoing violence, the early onset of puberty can be a catalyst for higher risks of aggression and other mental health disorders.
Kimya N. Dennis, PhD Cisgender culture and socialization: From birth most cultures make assumptions of what biological males think, believe and are physically capable of doing. As with all people, this makes it almost impossible for boys (and men) to know their own thoughts, beliefs, preferences, and behaviors. Therefore, they tend to lean on what they have been taught and told to do.
This impacts the cisgender and hetero-masculinity beliefs that boys should never be sad (and never tell anyone when they are sad), should never feel pain; only girls, women and “punks” get depressed; and suicide is a “sissy” action UNLESS it is done to save the lives of people you love.
This view of suicide as sometimes appropriate is a culturally historical perspective that ties into how murder-suicide, suicide-by-cop, suicide bombers, and suicide-for-the-sake-of-others (example: historical perspectives of Jesus) are considered indicative of how “real men” can end their lives.