Photo of young man courtesy of Corwin-Connect.com (Photo of Donavan Metayer courtesy of Go Fund Me).
By David L. Snelling
MIAMI – Young Black men are committing suicide at alarming rates and experts say most deaths could’ve been prevented if the warning signs were addressed with mental health awareness.
A young Black man is one mental health crisis away from taking his own life.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention Center (CDC), suicide is now the third leading cause of death for Black men between the ages of 15 and 34, with rates rising sharply in the past decade.
Between 2014 and 2024, Black Americans’ overall suicide death rate climbed 53 percent, more than 10 times faster than white people.
Young Black men, especially ages 20–24, are dying by suicide at the highest rate of any age group, according to Capital News.org.
Black men were also more than four times more likely to die by suicide than Black women.
Brandon Jones, a mental health professional who works with young Black men, said the numbers reflect years of pain catching up with a generation that has more words for trauma but not always enough support to survive it.
“We’ve had these key political situations and social pushes that have affected us as a collective,” he said. “Young Black people are feeling a trauma response that is leading to people wondering, ‘Do I want to keep living in a world that is treating me [poorly] in this situation?’”
Jones said a slew of risk factors for young Black men committing suicide include systemic racism and discrimination, cultural and social pressures, mental health barriers, social media and trauma exposure, family and community dynamics and heavy drug and alcohol use.
He said lack of mental health awareness also plays a role in a person’s state of mind.
“There’s awareness that is heightened, but there’s a lack of what the proper responses are,” Jones said.
The Office of Minority Health reports that Black adults were 36 percent less likely than U.S. adults overall to receive mental health treatment from 2010 to 2024, while Black high school students were 8 percent more likely than students nationwide to report attempting to commit suicide in 2023.
According to Jed Foundation.org, a nonprofit that protects emotional health and prevents suicide for teens and young adults, the warning signs of suicide should be immediately addressed to prevent deaths.
The organization said building resilience and protective factors can reduce suicide risk including promoting social connections through friendships, mentorship programs and community engagement.
The Foundation also encourages help-seeking behavior and reducing stigma around mental health and providing life skills and coping strategies.
“We all struggle at times, that is part of being human, and we all deserve whatever support we need to move through the hard times,” the Foundation said in a statement. “Sometimes that means professional mental health care. Maybe you just want someone to talk to or you’re working on a particular goal of managing relationship issues. Whatever you are going through, you are not alone. There is good help available.”
Schizophrenia is one of the biggest risk factors of suicide and someone suffering from the mental disease should seek immediate help, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Donovan Joshua Metayer, the 26 year old younger brother of slain Coral Springs Vice Mayor Nancy Metayer, died by suicide at the age of 26 in 2025, after battling schizophrenia for seven years, his family said.
Donovan Metayer, who was one of the survivors of the Marjory Stone Douglas High School shooting massacre which took the lives of 17 people and acutely injured another 17 in 2018.
Some people may be suffering from a traumatic experience but it might go unnoticed until someone commit’s suicide or attempt to take his/her own life.
They could hide it so well that their family members and peers believe they are full of life with no signs of mental health issues.
However, the Mayo Clinic urges people to watch out for little synonyms like emotional issues and should remove or secure all firearms and prescription and over-the-counter medications from the person’s possession.
“Everyone plays a role in suicide prevention. Stay aware of risks and warning signs, and do not hesitate to offer help when needed,” the Mayo Clinic said on its website.
