There have been several high-profile Black men who committed suicide in 2025. This will be a hard article to read, but we must talk about this disturbing trend.
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Kyren Lacey, the former LSU star wide receiver, shot himself back in April. Donovan Metayer, a survivor of the 2018 Parkland school shooting, killed himself on Dec. 15 after a long battle with schizophrenia. Landon Wallace, a Chicago DJ for the Bulls and the Northwestern football team better known as DJ Commando, died by suicide in December 2025.
Though it happened in November, we are just now learning that Lamarr Wilson, a gaming, technology, and lifestyle influencer who inspired millions with his funny YouTube videos, died by his own hand. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Suicide is now the third leading cause of death for Black men aged 15 to 34. Between 2018 and 2023, suicide rates for Black men increased by 25.2% — the highest growth of any racial group. And Black men die by suicide at a rate more than four times that of Black women.
One Black man dying by suicide is too many. But it being one of the leading causes of death for men in our community? We are looking at a full on mental health crisis.
There has been a push to normalize talking about mental health in Black communities. There was a time when Black people (especially Black folks in the church) dealing with mental health issues would be told to fast and pray about their struggles.
There was once a stigma associated with Black people, especially Black men, talking to someone about what we were dealing with. Things have changed.
“There was a time when all folks thought they needed was Jesus,” says Dr. Eric Gill, Director of Theological Field Education at Phillips Theological Seminary and Executive Pastor at Antioch Baptist Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. “But it is okay to have Jesus and a therapist.”
It is important we have this discussion no matter the time of year. But it especially needed now.
The holidays can be difficult. Shorter days increase melatonin, a sleep hormone, leading to drowsiness and disrupted sleep patterns. And less sunlight can decrease serotonin, a brain chemical that boosts mood, triggering depression.
Add to that the fact that Christmas brings financial pressure from gift-giving, high expectations for perfection, complex family dynamics, and grief for lost loved ones. This all creates the perfect storm for anxiety and exhaustion what clinicians call Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD.
So what should you do for the man in your life (whether it be a spouse, friend or brother) who may be struggling right now? I have a three suggestions.
Start a conversation
Gently express your concerns using “I” statements (for example, “I’m worried about you”) rather than accusatory ones (like “what’s wrong with you?) You use the wrong tone with a Black man and he may end the conversation before it begins.
Listen
Give the brother space to talk. Don’t interrupt him or immediately offer a solution. Understand that he may not have the right words for what he is feeling. Listen to what he means more than what he actually says.
Help him find help
When the time comes, help him find a therapist. There may be some hesitancy initially (after all men can be quite stubborn), so offer to go with him to appointments. He may only need you to go the first time. Once he gets comfortable with the idea of talking to someone, he may not want you to there…and that’s okay.
Black men need help dealing with our mental health whether we admit it or not. Sometimes all it takes a conversation to keep a Black man from hurting himself. Many of us don’t even know we need help. That fact should keep us all up at night,
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