‘My demons won today': Ohio activist’s suicide spotlights depression among Black Lives Matter leaders

by: Tristin Manus 8th

 

 *trigger warning

Summary: A group of blacklivesmatter activists gather around to commemorate the life of 23 year old MarShawn McCarrel, a blacklivesmatter activist who battled with depression and severe anxiety.  He took his life last Monday, and a few hours before he fatally shot himself, McCarrel posted a final message on Facebook: “My demons won today. I’m sorry.” McCarrel was a very influencial activist, About five years ago, friends said McCarrel’s artwork began to overlap with his activism, and he founded Pursuing Our Dreams, a group that organized monthly “feed the streets” events to provide homemade lunches to the homeless. He has been involved with the organization for a long time, after Ferguson, McCarrel began working with the Ohio Student Association, one of the largest and most active protest groups in the Black Lives Matter movement. He helped lead rallies to support the families of John Crawford and Tamir Rice, a black man and a black boy shot and killed in separate incidents by Ohio police in 2014. McCarrel was also one of five organizers arrested during a protest in Tennessee.

Analysis: Studies have found that black Americans are more susceptible to depression and anxiety — a disparity that health experts believe stems from social stigma and a lack of access to mental health resources in black communities, as well as a reluctance to take advantage of those resources when they are available. African Americans are 20 percent more likely to experience serious mental health problems than the general population. Also the vast influence of religion (Christianity) plays a huge part in the black community, as we are told to "pray" about it and not actually get help. Black people aren't believed to have mental issues because of the stress of social media and the stereotypes that comes from being black and the stress on black kids to be depicted as over hyper-masculine or even human, we are told to not show any evidence of emotional and mental distress because we don't want to be seen as weak. Many other activist voice their struggles as well to bring awareness to the black community struggling with mental illnesses.




link:https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2016/02/15/my-demons-won-today-ohio-activists-suicide-spotlights-depression-among-black-lives-matter-leaders/