tWitch’s death sheds light on high-functioning depression: ‘No one knows you’re not OK’

‘High-functioning depression is scary as f–k because no one knows you’re not okay, and even if you say something no one realizes the severity because you don’t seem like someone who is falling off the deep end.’

After Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss died by suicide, fans remarked how he was always so full of light, and many struggled to reconcile that persona with someone who’d take their own life.

The suicide rate among the U.S. Black population peaks between age 25 and 34, whereas for white people, it’s between age 45 and 54,The same report found that the suicide rate is lower in the Black population than in the white population — for Black and white men respectively, 12.9 deaths per 100,000 versus 27.1, and for Black and white women, 2.8 versus 6.9. But a 2021 study indicates the

Walker says there’s no data confirming why suicide affects the Black population at a younger age, but she’s called for more research because, clearly,”there’s something that’s happening differently for Black Americans.” Her theory is that the transition to adulthood and experiencing racism, possibly for the first time, play a role.

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former Miss USA and attorney Cheslie Kryst died Jan.– who were already in the process of developing their own show called  Living the Dream , which would help first time buyers find a home — were also working on a show at HGTV that would have the couple oversee construction of a full-sized Malibu Barbie Dream House.”It’s part of how we want to reimagine the school day experience.Licht left his position as producer of CBS’s The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to become CNN’s new boss after Jeff Zucker resigned in February.

30 at age 30. The young age of these figures highlights what Walker, who teaches psychology at the University of Houston and directs the Culture, Risk and Resilience Lab on campus, knows too well from her own work: Black people who die by suicide tend to be younger than white people who do. Filming was scheduled to commence in January, just one month after the dancer’s death. The suicide rate among the U. Cafeteria renovations will be a critical part of the plan.S. 13 at the age of 40 . Black population peaks between age 25 and 34, whereas for white people, it's between age 45 and 54, according to a 2021 report from the National Vital Statistics System .” Since then, Colbert has spoken with Licht nearly every week and reportedly begins each conversation with the phrase: “I told you so.

The same report found that the suicide rate is lower in the Black population than in the white population — for Black and white men respectively, 12.” “We are taking the time to consider different scenarios,” an HGTV spokesperson told the outlet. I come here with my friends.9 deaths per 100,000 versus 27.1, and for Black and white women, 2.” While the shows would have marked a major transition for the dance pros, their love for home renovation was nothing new.8 versus 6. “I personally only eat Halal food and I’ve been known to skip meals if I don’t know if it’s Halal or not.9. He and his wife also appeared on the channel’s  House Party..

But a 2021 study indicates the Black suicide rate is likely higher than documented because the manner of death is often misclassified. Walker says there's no data confirming why suicide affects the Black population at a younger age, but she's called for more research because, clearly,"there’s something that’s happening differently for Black Americans.” “It feels like she is living a nightmare,” the source said of Holker, the former   pro who married Boss in 2013. This is where they laugh and joke and they tease each other and have fun." Her theory is that the transition to adulthood and experiencing racism, possibly for the first time, play a role. “My (research) team has found that race-related stress is related to thoughts of suicide in the Black community,” she explains. “tWitch was such a genuine and good-hearted person,” the source added of the former    DJ,”and his loved ones are feeling his tremendous loss. “Those individuals . ALSO READ |.

. “It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to share my husband Stephen has left us,” Holker’s statement read.. may've been protected by family, protected in other ways but then went out into the world and saw institutional discrimination and racism . He valued family, friends and community above all else and leading with love and light was everything to him…” “To say he left a legacy would be an understatement, and his positive impact will continue to be felt,” the dancer added.

and it’s like, ‘OK, I’m on my own now. I’m ready to thrive, ready to participate in society. We ask for privacy during this difficult time for myself and especially for our three children.’ But all those goals are …

thwarted. Then at some point, you start to lose hope. So it doesn’t happen right away, but it can take some time." Reggie Howard, 31, who lives with major depressive disorder and attempted suicide multiple times in the past, says he was struggling with"the pressure of being a father and the pressure of coming from poverty." "It's not that I wanted to not be here alive anymore," he says.

"It was the pain and internal struggles … that I was going through. It just felt like that was the best option.

" Hearing about tWitch brought up some difficult emotions in Howard. "It just showed me that people are still hurting," he says."I'm not all the way through with some of the trials and tribulations that I have in my life, and it triggers flashbacks of when I had those feelings inside of me (and I'm asking myself) do I still feel like that?" After his last suicide attempt several years ago, Howard saw an ad on Instagram advertising"Free Therapy for Black Men," and it changed his life. He's now on the leadership team for Black Men Heal, the organization that provided him with free therapy. He's in his third year as an undergrad at Drexel University in Philadelphia, and he hosts the"Black Mental Health Podcast," which has been downloaded 150,000 times.

Reflecting on his mental health journey, Howard says:"I try to come from a place of gratitude first and … cherishing the things that I do have and the things that I have accomplished as a father, pulling myself out of (depressive states)." Depression in the public eye April Simpkins lost her daughter, Extra TV correspondent and Miss USA 2019 Cheslie Kryst, in January to suicide.

Simpkins says Kryst had persistent depressive disorder and had attempted suicide before. Simpkins stresses that public figures are not immune to suicidal thoughts, no matter how bubbly they may appear. “When you have someone who is an achiever and who does enjoy life, it is very easy for the general public to assume that they must be OK, that they couldn’t possibly be hiding something,” Simpkins tells TODAY.com . “How could you hide something behind a smile that is so genuine? But I think it’s also important to realize that the general public is not with those people 24/7, and what you are seeing is what they are presenting in that moment at that time.

” Before Kryst died by suicide, Simpkins says she began paying closer attention to her daughter because she'd talk about some things over and over and wouldn't stop. Simpkins saw it as a sign that something was wrong. In response, Simpkins would simply listen, which she says helped extend her daughter's life. "When I hear people saying, 'Check in on your strong friends,' which has become a very common mantra (along with), 'It's OK to not be OK,' I think what gets dismissed in that is, if you have strong friends who are telling you they're not OK, we don't know how to listen," Simpkins says."We're waiting for a five-alarm fire, and they're telling us it's smoldering.

Then we miss it (because) we dismissed it." Coping with depression Treating depression usually involves medication, therapy or both. Howard, who aspires to be a psychiatrist, leads a few mental health support groups and says they can also be a powerful tool to get people comfortable sharing their experiences and to learn coping strategies. For Black people, Howard recommends seeing a Black therapist, even if it's difficult to find one, because it's worth it. "You want to date, you want to shop around," he says.

"One of the things that my Black (therapist) said to me was, 'Hey, I understand you.' He made me feel seen because he looked like me. …

He was almost like a fatherly figure to me, and I never had that. I saw myself represented." "He would make hip-hop references, he would make TV show references, he would make certain culturally competent references that made me resonate with the therapeutic information that he was sharing with me," Howard explains. If you're concerned about a loved one attempting suicide, Walker notes that anxiety is"as strong a predictor" as depression. She also cautions against calling the police for help with a potential suicide and recommends the suicide prevention hotline, 988, instead.

And she encourages staying in close contact with anyone you're concerned about. "If someone seems like they're in a low place or they're acting out of the ordinary, go to them physically if possible," Walker says."If not, check on them because …

(they) can't problem solve from a bad place, and so they have to rely on other people to be able to stand in the gap when they can't problem solve. That's why we desperately need a more educated society." Howard says more education will help break the stigma that the Black community commonly associates with mental health. Practicing self-care is something he teaches his sons, ages 10 and 4, to better prepare the next generation. “Not too long ago, mental health was a taboo topic,” he says.

“I do want to impart upon my sons that it’s OK to express yourself. … The goal for me is to make sure I'm leading with vulnerability so that they feel comfortable to be able to share.

My mental health goal is to make sure I create that safe space for myself and my children so we can have these type of conversations.” .