Suicide Rates Are Increasing Among Black Youth: 5 Ways Fellow Students Can Be More Supportive

Suicide rates are on the rise among Black youth, and cyberbullying, anxiety, and racial discrimination are among the top causes.

A study published by the University of North Carolina researchers indicates that as of February 2025, 28% of Black middle school students across the country are either thinking about suicide, planning to commit suicide, or have made suicide attempts.

The study included information from 7,643 self-identifying Black youth. According to the study, titled, The Factors Associated with Suicidal Risk Behavior Outcomes Among Black Middle School Adolescents, 1 in 4 Black middle schoolers had thoughts of suicide, 1 in 6 had made plans to end their lives, and 1 in 10 had made a suicide attempt. The study also points out that for the first time, Black kids in elementary school surpassed white children in regard to suicidal behavior.

The tragic, alarming increase is a big deal because historically, suicide rates among black youth have always been lower compared to other racial and ethnic groups, indicating that mental health needs of Black youth are continuously unmet. Additionally, the increase in suicide rates among Black youth indicates a growing need to highlight health disparities and provide a culturally sensitive care that acknowledges the impact of race and ethnicity on mental health care.

Suicides have a ripple effect that leaves communities and families reeling from tragedy. One loss of life due to suicide can shatter a community and lead to additional attempts and lives lost due to a contagious effect.

Many of the causes for the increase in suicides among Black youth revolve around issues occurring in and around schools. Black youth face racial discrimination and bullying that have a devastating impact on mental health. Schools face a growing demand to address safety on site. However, programs and resources directed to the issue may be insufficient to address the crisis.

Schools must be ready to rise to the challenge. Additional resources must be devoted to improving training programs meant to identify at-risk youth. Schools must also initiate interventions designed to address suicidal behavior. Proper protocols must be established for the reporting of suicidal attempts and threats, and additional resources are needed to ensure staff and faculty are assisted with mental health needs after a tragedy.

While students shouldn’t feel responsible for helping other students with suicidal thoughts, the fact is, they play a vital role in helping to address their needs. Students’ peers often prove to be the closest allies next to their family members. They should receive guidance on how to best support students who are having suicidal thoughts.

Students must know first and foremost the need to report suicidal threats, attempts, and ideation to the appropriate staff. Students should be made aware of the appropriate counselors and staff to speak with and should know how to communicate the information accordingly.

Reporting suicidal ideation and behavior often serves as the primary step towards administering intervention methods as needed. Counselors and other mental health professionals should teach students how to recognize suicidal behaviors while helping them to understand strategies for relaying information back to those who can help.

At-risk youth can find that some of the most valuable forms of support can be received from their peers. Friends and associates should be taught what kind of feedback should be given. Schools should provide actionable advice to help students learn to be compassionate, empathetic, and supportive towards students who are at risk for suicide.

Students must be taught what comments can prove counter-productive, what warning signs may look like, and what to do to ease their at-risk peers’ pain. Students must also learn that the responsibility shouldn’t rest on their shoulders while being made aware that companionship goes a long way towards preventing suicidal attempts.

Given the risks, schools should teach students the importance of speaking out against all forms of bullying. This may include guidance for reporting bullying incidents to the proper authorities and suggestions for intervening when evidence of bullying exists. Students must also be taught the signs of bullying among their peers and the impact of bullying on the school population in general.

Since bullying is so pervasive and is known to continue without intervention, students must learn when and where to speak out on such incidents. Schools can prepare events and resources aimed at intervention and give students the chance to speak on behalf of their peers who are being bullied. Students should also be taught the importance of not feeding into bullying behavior while also being made aware of the different ways bullying can appear in schools.

Students who are socially isolated face an increased risk of suicidal attempts and ideation. Their peers must be taught what social isolation looks like, how to be more supportive of their peers who are isolated, and how to reduce social isolation at school. Schools can provide information for students who want to engage their socially isolated peers and help them find friends and fun in extracurricular activities.

To aid in intervention, counselors and staff should teach students the harmful impacts of social isolation among youth, particularly the mental health effects, which may often go unnoticed due to isolation. Students who are encouraged to be inclusive and friendly can go a long way towards preventing suicide among their peers who are socially isolated.

Resources should be devoted towards teaching students how to become reliable mental health advocates. This may mean teaching students the power of speaking publicly about their own mental health experiences or learning to be more supportive of other students who are experiencing mental health difficulties. Students who become mental health advocates play a significant role in suicide prevention and are known to help build a stronger school environment for their peers with mental health needs.

Mental health advocacy can spread around a school and encourage other students to partake in efforts to address mental health needs on site. Schools should provide students who wish to become advocates with the tools and resources needed for advocacy while preparing them for the unique challenges that such efforts may bring.

Schools ultimately have a significant impact on the mental health needs of students. Schools who take time to involve students in mental health advocacy will increase the amount of resources and support available for students experiencing suicidal thoughts.

For information on suicide prevention and education for schools, visit the Suicide Prevention Resource Center at https://sprc.org/