Living Out Loud with Darian

By now the entire world has heard about the alleged suicide attempt by Dallas Cowboys wide receiver(no pun intended)
Terrell Owens, if you haven't then please crawl out from underneath the rock that you've been hiding underneath for the past few days!

Every major news source and blogger has written their theory as to why Terrell attempted to end his life. Of course there is speculation that Terrell couldn't handle the pressures of being a star athlete and a closeted homosexual. I don't know what his reason was but I wish him a speedy recovery and the courage to deal with whatever the issue is that's causing him so much pain.

I came across a very intersting article that asked whether or not blacks even considered suicide as an option when depression and the hardships of life takes a toll.

A notion that white people kill themselves and black people only kill each other could not be further from the truth. As with most other U.S. social diseases, African Americans, especially teens and young adults, have witnessed an increase in suicides.

Statistics show that the suicide rate among black men has doubled since 1980.

In 2003, 1,955 African Americans completed suicide. Males (1,597) made up 82 percent of those fatalities.

Suicide ranks as the third leading cause of death for black men between the ages of 15 and 24.

"It’s been a misperception that black people don’t commit suicide,’’ said Harvard Professor of Psychiatry, Dr. Alvin Poussaint.

Poussaint did acknowledge that this sudden rise in African American suicides deserves attention by the medical field.

"Suicide was a stigma in the black community. Historically, killing yourself meant that you didn’t go to heaven. A black person taking their own life was taboo,’’ he said.

Poussaint said that blacks learned to live with depression, embraced music like the Blues and suffering as part of their life circumstance.

Basically, we could sing about our lot in life but never shed tears about our position or status. (source:Trentonian.com)

Thankfully I haven't experienced the loss of a friend or loved one due to suicide, but I know too many times GLBT people resort to suicide after not being accepted by family and experiencing loneliness and isolation from the rest of the world because of being different. I know because I've been there, yet another reason to thank God for teaching me how to lovemyself unconditionally.

I don't know if this is why Terrell overdosed, but they're plenty of others like Terrell without the million dollar bank account and celebrity status that needs someone to listen before they take a beautiful gift from God, their life.