Category Archives: Mental Health

Trash TV: Iyanta and DMX Interview

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After painstakingly giving in, I watched a recorded event my wife thought would be interesting. It was with one of my favorite rap artists DMX and an entertainer named Iyanta. I never heard of Iyanta and was not interested in the interview or interviewer. However, after observing some of its content, I can categorically state, she is ill-equipped to diagnosis clinical depression or addiction. For this reason, the interview was a sham. The producers and Iyanta exploited an obvious ill individual for commercial gains. Sadly, in the Black community, some will cheer this exploitative slice of ‘weird TV’. Our community accepts most anything as authentic if we become emotional, feel pity, or want to pray. However, the interview on DMX by Iyanta was trash TV. Mental illness and addiction is no entertaining matter. I’m not sure if “X” suffers from either, nonetheless, Iyanta, lacks a professional background to diagnosis it. She did more harm than good, and only for ratings.

Mental illness and addiction has rampaged communities across America. However, in the Black community the epidemic has gone viral long ago. I suffered for over 18 years with depression and addiction. I know the terror and thoughts of suicide. It was the hardest battle in my life faced mostly alone. Beyond my wife, children, and Rod Davis, no one could bring sunlight into the darkness. Again, I cannot say what DMX suffers from, but the symptoms he displayed while exploited were hurricane-warning signals. This interview should never have occurred. His taking advantage of was an attempt to keep a struggling entertainment mogul afloat (Oprah Winfrey). Sadly, the effort also sends the message that mental illness and addiction needs only a pep talk, and reconciliation with a love one. This production was an act of betrayal. DMX’s representative should charge Iyanta, with an intelligence malpractice suit if they cared about his health and awareness.

In the Black community mental illness and depression remains under the most ineffective institution in Black culture: The Black Church and its representatives. It is common for Black women to beg depressed and dysfunctional men to seek help from unqualified clergypersons. Yes, send them to people who lack any trace of formal education in mental diseases. This is a horrible mistake to send depressed individuals to a church representative untrained in the field. On the contrary, the Black church can help by suggesting individuals to seek professional help. In so much, Iyanta, Kirk Franklin and any other entertainers must shut their damn mouth on the issue. These half-baked tricksters must scurry back to their dwellings or obtain an academic education in the field. Either way, please let my people go.

The worse statement from Iyanta was when she said to DMX, “Don’t you know you’re a vessel of God”. I nearly lost it; what does mythical propaganda have to do with a possible mental illness and addiction diagnosis? This freak show exhibition eventually turned my stomach and I turned away from it. Sadly, numerous Black men and women may suffer from undiagnosed mental disease and addiction. Thousands are attempting to cope with the horrors of comorbidity; some make it, and many do not. We do know however, 95% of all suicides the person was suffering from depression at the time. With this knowledge, we no longer can think Black preachers or some half-baked interviewer should attempt to diagnosis mental illness. Look at the statistics below and ask yourself who was helped in that interview.

Suicide Rates for African Americans, 1999-2010

• As with all racial groups, African American females were more likely than males to attempt suicide and African American males were more likely to die by suicide.

• From 1993 to 2002, the rate of suicide for African Americans (all ages) showed a small but steady decline. Since 2002, the rate has remained fairly flat, varying only between 4.9 and 5.2 per 100,000 annually.

• Suicide was the third leading cause of death among African American youth (ages 10-

19), after homicides and accidents. The suicide rate for this age group was 2.65 per 100,000 (n=196).

• Males accounted for the vast majority of African American elderly (65 and older) suicides.

Set my Brothers Free: Young Black Men & Depression

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By The Invisible Dragon

Young Black males, as suicide victims, were unheard of growing up in 1970’s.  However, presently, according to the American Association of Suicidology, suicide rates for African-American males ages (15-24) increased 83% in the early 80’s and 90’s.  More importantly, most suicide victims suffered from depression at their end.  Suicide has become a statistical reality for many young brothers.   The sad fact that young males are killing themselves is startling, but the communities’ silence is worse, even tragic. As a result, Black communities face stinging charges of being callous, insensitive, and more importantly, mis-educated. It is my belief; the silent epidemic on Black men and depression must be shattered.

Black men rarely speak about their mistrust of organized healthcare.  One reason for the silence is the mistrust they possess toward the health care profession.  The Tuskegee Experiment is just one example of gross malpractice levied against Black males throughout American history.  I, personally, refused to use White male doctors in the past and frankly all male physicians.  Often, they gave me a sense that my health issues were not as serious and that intestinal fortitude was in order.  In the hood, reputation and the cool pose is everything Black males risk isolation and marginalization if they have a mental illness label.  Despite, whys and wherefores, we must face ourselves and shed the current fear to face depression.  Young Black males suffer from mental illness; we better admit this and speak up.

Unfortunately and fortunately, Black males do not attend church in large numbers.  One reality they face is Black Churches dis-empower them by suggesting only the blood of Christ heals.  Young Black males are inundated constantly with this message from female relatives, girlfriends, and wives.  Usually those loaded theme suggestions fall on deaf ears. Nevertheless, I sympathize with anyone who attempts to sound the bell about males and mental illness. However, in contrast, depression is not a headache that’s erased through pray and aspirin.  It is important Black Christians not marginalize depression anymore; it’s real, get over it.  In addition, we must refuse to endorse the religious-based mythology, “Only the blood of Jesus heals”.  We need the Black church to become a responsible partner in healing our young men.    

If one would solve a problem, the study of the problem is a prerequisite.  In urban communities, often, Black males lead a life of isolation and sequestration.  My own view, education on mental illness is a valid step to our miscarriage concerning mental illnesses.  More directly, to break the silence we must seek education as the only solution.  Although, a controversial issue has been whether depression is real, this by the way is crazy.  The collective illiteracy about affective disorders is the result of such careless thinking.  The mis-education of mental health is important because half-truths may disable the men and communities, rendering them impotent in life endeavors.  Thus only, data driven information will pardon communities and free young brothers.

It is no secret, in urban communities; countless Black males inflicted with mental illness, live in virtual darkness. Sad and disheartened, they routinely live emotionally disengaged existences.   And, we do know, if depression deepens without medical intervention hopelessness may become a reality.  Haeffel, Abramson, Brazy, & Shah (2007) define hopelessness as being convinced the future holds bad results and all efforts are futile.  Our refusal to seriously engage men about their mental health ultimately hurts Black families, children, and communities.  As well, to continue endorsing cultural mental illness mythologies are an even more egregious assault.  We have a responsibility, and duty, to educate ourselves and communities on mental illness:

Shall we not set ourselves free?

Pastor Rick Warren, Misses the Mark

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I came across this article online at CNN.com.,“Church most powerful weapon against HIV/AIDS, “describing Rev. Rick Warren intervention efforts against HIV/AIDS in Africa.  Unfortunately, I do not know much about him other than he’s the founder and pastor at Saddleback Church and he wrote The Purpose Driven Life as the article points out.  I have however seen him on national news programs but rarely gave him an audience longer than a few seconds.  Disclaimer: (I am skeptical of him and his cohorts.)

HIV/AIDS affect millions globally and Warren’s crusade to combat the disease is chronicled with his interventions efforts (e.g., HIV testing, Christian volunteers, stewardship) in the article.  Pastor Rick Warren, I contend is a Christian believer of non-marital sex and disproves of the usage of condoms.  Albeit an important defense to HIV infections (Condoms) is not promoted anywhere in the article: This is not an oversight by Pastor Warren.

Rick Warren’s efforts are highly susceptible to his religious beliefs and those sentiments are not all covered in this essay.  I question one who does not mention condoms as a defense against the HIV/AIDS infection.  Blacks globally are overrepresented in AIDS infection and one easily becomes mislead by these covert operations.  The article provides what appears as a noble cause, (I doubt it); Rick Warren is not qualified to help the HIV/AIDS epidemic if condoms are off the table.  His efforts are paramount to telling people not to use smoke detectors and provide intervention efforts after their homes have burned down.  He is driven in the wrong direction.

Condoms can help stop the spread of HIV/AIDS infections.  This is not new to Warren but premarital sex goes against his faith and this trumps reason, facts, or common sense.  The African American’s church community serves a similar public doctrine as Warren.  Nevertheless, their congregations are saturated with LGBT parishioners as well as pastors, deacons, and first ladies are Gay and Lesbians.  Nevertheless, the charade in the Black community about their highly intolerance of LGBT life styles is laughable.  In other words, they choose like Warren to imagine premarital sex does not occur by church members.  Really, have you checked the never married single mother’s rates attending Black churches?

If condoms can help prevent HIV/AIDS infections, why would any reasonable person not recommend them?  Oh, I forgot pastors like Warren are allergic to reason and common sense.  What a pity?

The Invisible Dragon

Young Black Males & Prison Incarceration

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According to Boothe (2007), African American male children have little chance of succeeding in life. For example, the chances of an African American male becoming:

an NFL player is 1 in 1,250

an NBA player is 1 in 4,600

a Ph.D. in engineering, mathematics, or the physical sciences is 1 in 2,000

a doctor is 1 in 548

a lawyer is 1 in 195

a teacher is 1 in 53

On the other hand, the same African-American boy probability for prison incarceration is 1 in 13 before dying; they have a 1 in 3 chance of being a felon; a 1 in 7 chance of never graduating from high school; a 1 in 6 chance of graduating from college; and a 50:50 chance of becoming a drug abuser…

Black boy adolescents are 46 times more likely to be sent to a juvenile detention facility than Caucasian adolescents.

The dismal picture of African-American boys seems lost or at least not important enough for a social movement. The author feels that the acceptance of Black boys being an endangered species influence indifference by society and the Black community.

As always, countless Black pontificates fill national news shows articulating black boys’ demise, however, the announcements of a social movement remains a moot point. When will the Black community stop the generational destruction of Black boys?

Subsequently, we watch in calmness as they drop out of school and join the ‘Prison Armed Forces.’ Sadly, being locked up has become dramatized with MSNBC running countless loops of prison life. The show as well as others like it seems to say incarceration isn’t all that bad, YIKES!!! Black boys are in a bad way in America, unschooled, truant, and a valuable commodity to the private prison industry.

In short, the Black church as usual is incapable of enacting any real transformation in the hood. Preachers and pastors run the game of ‘faith & hope’ to Black mothers whose boys are locked away on extensive bits in prisons across the nation. Where are the social programs to address the exodus of Black boys on the slave ships called ‘Mass Incarceration’?

The Invisible Dragon

References:

Boothe, D. (2007). Why are so many black men in prison?: Full Surface Publishing.
Boykin,

“Stick With It” The Formula to Achievement

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001The formula to inner success is the ability to “Stick With It”. In 1980 as a freshman in college (Eastern Illinois University) the environment of intercollegiate athletes was overwhelming. I was lost, confused, and befuddled on the humongous campus. In addition, Charleston, Illinois was night to-day to Chicago; its personality resembled Dixieland, Mississippi. I was a non-scholarship student-athlete (a walk-on) in Hell.   I wanted to quit the first day. (August 13, 1980)

Playing football never came hard until arriving at Eastern Illinois University. One week removed from intercepting the game saving pass in the Chicago Public vs. Catholic League All-Star game, I was relegated from city hero to cleaning the latrine. In fact, the treatment was consistently antagonistic and aggressive; as walk-ons, we received everything last.  This went on for what seemed like forever.

Our jerseys were t-shirts, our shoes were black, (other players’ shoes were white), and the helmets resembled props from a 1940 movie set. Again, I begged and pleaded for my mother to save me with her approval to quit. Once more she never uttered a word to confirm the request. However, she said something that night that would change everything.

In the prison camp disguised as a college football team “live hitting” was about to begin. I warned my mother about the upcoming event. On this day, live tackling drills would fill the air; walk-ons like myself would be instructed to run with the football…and BAM, the varsity defensive backs would take your head off.  This day was scary for all underclassmen.

However, as much as I cried (I cried a lot) to my “Ghetto Mum” her uneducated tongue the night before prepared my becoming a Two-Time First team All-American (82-83), Pittsburgh Steelers (1984-85) and an Eastern Illinois University Hall of Fame Inductee (2007)…

to be con’t…as usual..

 

The Invisible Dragon

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