Stephen 'tWitch' Boss death sounds alarm on rising rates of Black male suicide

SAN JOSE, Calif. - Many people are still shocked by the death of DJ and dancer Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss. He was the DJ on the Ellen DeGeneres Show for nearly a decade and on Wednesday, he took his own life.  

The CDC says men are nearly four times more likely to die by suicide and Black men are the fastest-growing group of men. I spoke to mental health experts who say many men struggle with opening up and getting the help they need.  

For eight years, Stephen Boss or ‘tWitch’ entertained millions on the Ellen DeGeneres Show. But on Wednesday he died by suicide at 40 years old. Boss rose to fame while competing on "So You Think You Can Dance" in 2008, ending as runner-up.  

"Because he’s the kind of person that’s such a light, he’s such an inspiring passion, you would never realize behind all of that what was going on," said Shawn Barry, an associate therapist at Silicon Valley Therapy and Marriage Counseling Services in Campbell.

The CDC says men in the United States are 49% of the population but comprise nearly 80% of all suicides. Barry says most men aren’t socialized to cope with their feelings or talk about them, and the results can be devastating.  

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"In a nutshell, men don’t have the support, encouragement, and skills to develop intimate relationships where they can be real and vulnerable. So they feel isolated, alone, and incapable of dealing with that emotional turmoil," Barry said. 

Recent studies also show that Black men in particular are dying by suicide at a higher rate than any other racial group of men. Bay Area psychologist Dr. Cathia Walters, of Walters Wellness Group, says issues of oppression, systemic racism, and generational trauma only compound the pressures that most men say they feel. 

"Again, stigmas. I don’t want to be seen as crazy. I don’t want to be locked up. So I’m going to try to, and give you just enough that we can work with, without going deep," Dr. Walters said.   

Dr. Walters says these triggers can lead to feelings of shame, doubt, and self-loathing. If it’s not addressed, a person may think the only way to heal the pain is by self-harming or suicide.  

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"What I’ve found to be helpful, is to just provide that space that feels safe and allow them to talk. And pretty soon they start going a little bit deeper," Dr. Walters said.   

Suicide is the third leading cause of death for Black men ages 15-24. For more information about suicide prevention or if you simply need to talk, you can dial or text the national hotline at 988.