Nazca Health

Individual Therapy | 4 min read | 2024-10-17 | 656 Views

A deep dive into the LGTBQ+ community: What about their mental health?

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The mental health challenges faced by LGBTQ+ individuals are deeply impacted by societal stigma, discrimination, and unique stressors tied to their identity. These factors, such as family estrangement and societal rejection, contribute to heightened rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation, especially among LGBTQ+ youth. The Minority Stress Model helps explain how chronic stress from being part of a marginalized group exacerbates these issues. Despite these challenges, many LGBTQ+ individuals demonstrate resilience, and promoting affirming environments and inclusive policies can improve their mental well-being.

Fernanda Valdivia

Individual Therapy

The mental health of individuals within the LGBTQ+ community is a critical public health issue that has garnered increasing attention over the past few decades. Members of the LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and others) community often face unique stressors and challenges, which significantly impact their mental well-being. Understanding the intersection of LGBTQ+ identity and mental health is essential to creating inclusive, supportive environments where mental health can be fostered.

The high prevalence of mental illness in LGBT individuals may be explained by the Minority Stress Model1. This refers to the chronic stress experienced by individuals who belong to marginalized groups. For LGBTQ+ individuals, minority stress stems from various sources, including societal rejection, family estrangement, and discriminatory policies and practices. These experiences often lead to feelings of isolation, shame, and fear, which can exacerbate mental health issues like depression and anxiety. For instance, a study among self-identified gay and bisexual Latino men in the United States, showed that mental health challenges are closely tied to a societal environment of oppression/ This contributes to social isolation, low self-esteem, and psychological distress3.

Moreover, the LGBTQ+ community faces disproportionately high rates of mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, substance use disorders, and suicidal ideation. Studies have consistently shown that LGBTQ+ youth, in particular, are at heightened risk for mental health challenges. According to The Trevor Project, an organization that provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ+ youth, over 40% of LGBTQ+ youth have seriously considered suicide in the past year, with transgender and non-binary youth facing even higher rates2.

Finally, for the LGTBQ+ youth the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in increased vulnerability to pre-existing disparities in anxiety, depression, suicidality, and substance use. Adolescence and early adulthood have proven to be important life milestones. In particular,COVID-19 introduced instability that may have disrupted typical psychosocial development, including identity formation and autonomy seeking4.

Overall, the mental health challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community are profound and multifaceted, shaped by societal stigma, discrimination, and the intersections of various identities. Despite these challenges, LGBTQ+ individuals show remarkable resilience in navigating their mental health journeys. By fostering affirming environments, addressing barriers to care, and advocating for inclusive policies, society can help promote the mental well-being of LGBTQ+ individuals and ensure that they have access to the resources and support they need.

Arguello, J. C. (2020). Developing policies for adult sexual minorities with mental health needs in secured settings. CNS Spectrums, 25(5), 618–623. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1092852919001755

Price, M. (2022). 7.3 Intersectional Suicide Prevention for LGBTQ Youth at the Trevor Project. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 61(10), S12–S12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2022.07.051

Diaz, R., Ayala, G., Bein, E., Henne, J., & Marin, B. (2001). The impact of homophobia, poverty, and racism on the mental health of gay and bisexual Latino men: findings from 3 US cities. American Journal of Public Health (1971), 91(6), 927–932. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.91.6.927

Ruprecht, M. M., Floresca, Y. B., Narla, S., Felt, D., Phillips, G., Macapagal, K., & Philbin, M. M. (2024). “Being Queer, It Was Really Isolating”: Stigma and Mental Health Among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+) Young People During COVID-19. Health Education & Behavior, 51(4), 521–532. https://doi.org/10.1177/10901981241249973

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