Celebrities Mourn the Death of Hampton Grad Yusuf Neville & Facts about Depression and Suicide

Rest in peace. 

Terrence J, Rocsi, and VH1′s Black Ink star Dutchess are mourning the loss of their good friend and HamptonUniversity grad Yusuf Neville. The Durham, North Carolina native committed suicide on Wednesday by jumping from a hotel parking deck in Greensboro, while leaving family and friends asking, “What could we have done?”

Rocsi Diaz, an acquaintance of Yusuf, posted:

Tell all your loved ones you love them … Bury any feuds between old friends… Life is to short… To my #weallwegot family stay strong tonight… We have an angel watching over us now… RIP Yusuf

And VH1′s Black Ink Crew’s Dutchess:

U never know what the next person is going through. A friend of mine committed suicide and I’m honestly in complete shock because he was always so positive and encouraging. Please pray for his family and fiancée in this difficult time of loss.

She also took Yusuf’s death as an opportunity to shine light on something rarely talked about in the Black community: suicide.

Please have more compassion for people. Please understand I’ve made mistakes and I’ve learned from them and I continue to learn everyday. God knows but if u come across someone troubled or going through a storm they may cry or be mean or simply smile as nothing’s wrong just have more compassion u never know the storms in our lives or how anyone chooses to deal with them.  #ripyusuf

Terrence J of E! News also added:

Rest in peace Yusuf. My heart is so heavy. You mean so much to all of us. I can’t even articulate right now.  #weallwegot

From the outside looking in, Yusuf appeared to have it all together. He had found the love of his life Jennifer and was set to marry her later this year. On their wedding website, she describes him as the “sweetest, most caring person” she knows, even sharing anecdotes about how he would give her flowers every Monday, even when he was out of town. He was a HamptonUniversity graduate, a service manager at a Fortune 500 company, a member of Kappa Alpha Psi frat and an avid runner with plans of running a marathon on every continent. He had already completed a marathon in Paris, France and another at the Great Wall of China in Beijing. He was an amazing man who left fond memories with all who knew him.

To his acquaintances, he seemed fine. But his last message on Instagram painted a different picture.   Just before he jumped, he posted this photo of his view of the snow-covered city with the note:

In December, Yusuf posted this tweet on how he wanted to be remembered after he was gone.

Our condolences go out to Yusuf’s friends, family and fiancée. May you find strength during this time.

Today, remember to call a friend or family member. Let them know that they are loved. Hold your loved ones close. You never know who is smiling through the pain, what they may be going through or how much they may value a listening ear.

Give them roses while they can still smell them.

Necole Bitchie Link

AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF SUICIDOLOGY

Facts about Depression and Suicide

What is Depression?
Depression is the most prevalent mental health disorder. The lifetime risk for depression is 6 to 25%. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), 9.5% or 20.9 million American adults suffer from a depressive illness in any given year.
There are two types of depression. In major depression, the symptoms listed below interfere with one’s ability to function in all areas of life (work, family, sleep, etc.). In dysthymia, the symptoms are not as severe but still impeded one’s ability to function at normal levels.
Common symptoms of depression, reoccurring almost every day:

• Depressed mood (e.g. feeling sad or empty)
• Lack of interest in previously enjoyable activities
• Significant weight loss or gain, or decrease or increase in appetite
• Insomnia or hypersomnia
• Agitation, restlessness, irritability
• Fatigue or loss of energy
• Feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, guilt
• Inability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness
• Recurrent thoughts of death, recurrent suicidal ideation, suicide attempt or plan for
• completing suicide

A family history of depression (i.e., a parent) increases the chances (by 11 times) than a child will also have depression.
The treatment of depression is effective 60-80% of the time. However, according to the World
Health Organization, less than 25% of individuals with depression receive adequate treatment.
If left untreated, depression can lead to co-morbid (occurring at the same time) mental disorders
such as alcohol and substance abuse, higher rates of recurrent episodes and higher rates of
suicide.

Facts about Suicide

In 2010, suicide was the tenth leading cause of death in the U.S., claiming 38,357 lives. Suicide
rates among youth (ages 15-24) have increase more than 200% in the last fifty years. The
suicide rate is also very high for the elderly (age 85+).
Four times more men than women kill themselves; but three times more women than men
attempt suicide.
Suicide occurs across ethnic, economic, social and age boundaries.
Suicide is preventable. Most suicidal people desperately want to live; they are just unable to see
alternatives to their problems. Most suicidal people give definite warning signals of their
suicidal intentions, but other are often unaware of the significance of these warning or unsure
what to do about them.
Talking about suicide does not cause someone to become suicidal.
Surviving family members not only suffer the loss of a loved one to suicide, but are also
themselves at higher risk of suicide and emotional problems.

The Links between Depression and Suicide

Major depression is the psychiatric diagnosis most commonly associated with suicide. Lifetime
risk of suicide among patients with untreated depressive disorder is nearly 20% (Gotlib &
Hammen, 2002). The suicide risk among treated patients is 141 per 100,000 (Isacsson et al.,
2000).
About 2/3 of people who complete suicide are depressed at the time of their deaths.
About 7 out of every hundred men and 1 out of every hundred women who have been diagnosed
with depression in their lifetime will go on to complete suicide.
The risk of suicide in people with major depression is about 20 times that of the general
population.
Individuals who have had multiple episodes of depression are at greater risk for suicide than
those who have had one episode.
People who have a dependence on alcohol or drugs in addition to being depressed are at greater
risk for suicide.
Individuals who are depressed and exhibit the following symptoms are at particular risk for
suicide:

• Extreme hopelessness
• Facts about Suicide and Depression Based on 2010 Data 3
• A lack of interest in activities that were previously pleasurable
• Heightened Anxiety and/or panic attacks
• Insomnia
• Talk about suicide or have a prior history of attempts
• Irritability and agitation

Antidepressants

There is no evidence to date that the prescription of antidepressants for the treatment of
depression increases the risk of dying by suicide in children, adolescents or adults. The FDA has
issued a Black Box warning regarding antidepressants in youth and young adults in response to
evidence of twice the risk (4% versus 2%) of suicide ideation and attempts by those being treated
with antidepressants.

Be Aware of the Warning Signs

A suicidal person may:

• Talk about suicide, death and/or no reason to live.
• Be preoccupied with death and dying.
• Withdraw from friends and/or social activities.
• Have a recent sever loss (esp. relationship) or threat of a significant loss.
• Experience drastic changes in behavior.
• Lose interest in hobbies, work, school, etc.
• Prepare for death by making out a will (unexpectedly) and final arrangements.
• Give away prized possessions.
• Have attempted suicide before.
• Take unnecessary risks; be reckless, and/or impulsive.
• Lose interest in their personal appearance.
• Increase their use of alcohol or drugs.
• Express a sense of hopelessness.
• Be faced with a situation of humiliation or failure.
• Have a history of violence or hostility.
• Have been unwilling to “connect” with potential helpers.

Be Aware of Feelings, Thoughts, and Behaviors

Nearly everyone at some time in his or her life thinks about suicide. Most everyone decides to
live because they come to realize that the crisis is temporary, but death in not. On the other
hand, people in the midst of a crisis often perceive their dilemma as inescapable and feel an utter
loss of control.

Frequently, they:

• Can’t stop the pain
• Can’t think clearly
• Can’t make decisions
• Can’t see any way out
• Can’t sleep, eat, or work
• Can’t get out of the depression
• Can’t make the sadness go away
• Can’t see the possibility of change
• Can’t see themselves as worthwhile
• Can’t get someone’s attention
• Can’t seem to get control

If you experience any of these feelings, get help!
If you know someone who exhibits these feelings, offer help!

Talk to Someone – You are not Alone.  Contact:

• A community mental health agency
• A school counselor or psychologist
• A suicide prevention/crisis intervention center
• A private therapist
• A family physician
• A religious/spiritual leader