Summary: Dr. Kimya Dennis is a sociologist and criminologist who does a lot of community outreach about mental health. And when she does presentations for African-American and non-white Hispanic communities, she says she gets some push back when it comes to talking about suicide prevention. Dennis says in those groups, which are often overlooked by the mental health community, suicide is often seen as a white people problem. "In the African-American community, there’s a tendency to label suicide and mental health conditions as 'crazy' or evidence that you aren’t praying enough," she writes. Ideas about strength an masculinity may also come into play. "African-American boys and men are even more likely to be labeled 'weak' and 'not a real man' when in need of help." Dennis says that can prevent them from seeking mental health care when they need it. So can the stereotype of the "strong black woman." "Strong black woman has different definitions depending on who is reading that," she says. "For those of us in black communities who are critical of this, it means pressure to be strong. It means pressure to risk your own self-care and health for the sake of saving everybody else." Dr. Dennis tells us more about all this -- and problems she sees in how suicide date is collected in the first place -- on this week's show. And we also speak with Wesleyan psychology professor Dr. Clara Wilkins about her recent essay, "The Dangerous Belief That White People Are Under Attack."
