Here’s to breaking the stigma when it comes to Black men and mental health. Ahead of World Mental Health Day on Oct. 10, former NFL player turned therapist Jay Barnett — a survivor of two suicide attempts — has doubled down on his commitment to changing the narrative when it comes to Black men and their mental health. “ It wasn’t until after football that I realized I needed help. I hid behind football for a number of years. I was a free agent back in 2006, and I bounced around trying to find a place to stick and I couldn’t,” Barnett told AfroTech exclusively. “After working out for the Packers and before training camp, I went to play in the Arena League. I discovered that my desire to play was from an unhealthy place. I wanted to play because I wanted to prove to my father I could be everything that he wasn’t. Football was how I coped and when I couldn’t play — I felt useless.” To help others get the help they need, Barnett recently teamed up to moderate an open conversation...