Like many other marginalized communities, LGBTQIA people are often subjected to discrimination, abuse, harassment, and even denial of their civil and human rights. As a result of these stressors, LGBTQIA people are especially at risk when it comes to developing mental health issues. The fear of coming out and being rejected by friends and family can be enough on its own to trigger episodes of depression, anxiety, and suicidal thinking.

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It has only been 45 years since the American Psychological Association removed homosexuality from its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, also known as the DSM. The DSM also considered Gender Identity Disorder to be a mental illness until the most recent iteration from 2013 where it has been replaced with gender dysphoria, which refers to the emotional distress experienced by transgender individuals and how that might cause dysfunction in their lives. In addition, conversion therapy is still practiced by licensed psychologists and the practice is still legal in the majority of the U.S. Given this history, it’s clear that there is a complicated relationship between LGBTQIA people and the mental health field, which can discourage individuals from seeking help.

 

Here’s some statistics:

 

• Transgender youth are four times more likely than their non-transgender peers to experience depression (Reisner 2015).

 

• 28 percent of LGBTQ youth — including 40 percent of transgender youth — said they felt depressed most or all of the time during the previous 30 days, compared to only 12 percent of non-LGBTQ youth (Human Rights Campaign 2015).

 

• LGBQ young people are more than twice as likely to feel suicidal, and over four times as likely to attempt suicide, compared to heterosexual youth (Kann 2016).

 

• Among LGBQ adults living with mental illness, thirteen percent had a serious mental illness that substantially interfered with major life activities. The same was true for only four percent of heterosexual adults living with mental illness (Medley 2016).

Some people use statistics about mental health in the LGBTQIA+ community to imply that being LGBTQIA+ causes mental illness, specifically depression. This is a fear-mongering tactic and should not be taken as fact. If LGBTQIA+ people experience depression, it is often due to discrimination, abuse, or the fear of rejection from peers, family, society, etc. Mental illness is not an inevitability just because you belong to a certain community.

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Do I have a mental illness?

If you think you might be struggling with a mental illness, the best thing you can do is see a doctor. If you have a general practitioner, they can often prescribe medications for depression and anxiety or they can refer you to a more specialized mental health provider like a therapist or psychiatrist. Before you make an appointment, it might help to read through some information about mental disorders to identify what you're feeling. HelpGuide.org has a wealth of information about some of the most common disorders, such as depression, anxiety, bipolar, PTSD, and eating disorders.

 

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Suicide

If you or someone you know are experiencing suicidal thoughts and thinking about following through with those actions, there are resources that can help.

 

The Trevor Project: (866) 488-7386

The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) young people ages 13-24.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: (800) 273-8255 (online chat available)

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Crisis Text Line: Text START to 741-741

Crisis Text Line is free, 24/7 support for those in crisis. Text from anywhere in the USA to text with a trained Crisis Counselor.

 

In addition to national hotlines, there are local hotlines and crisis intervention teams that can help if you are experiencing a crisis or suicidal thoughts. Crisis intervention teams are usually made up of unarmed, licensed clinicians who are trained to de-escalate situations. If you are curious if these services are offered in your area, conduct a quick Google search such as "crisis team Prince George's County" or "mental health crisis Montgomery County" to see what's available to you.