LGBTQ+ people don’t just come out to their loved ones. LGBTQ+ youth are three times as likely to consider suicide as heterosexual youth because of factors like discrimination and bigotry. When faced with a possible future of constantly feeling the need to hide in isolation, people are also more likely to consider suicide. Experts estimate that 30-60% of LGBTQ+ people experience depression during their lives because they don’t feel safe to live in their true identity. People forced to live as their inauthentic selves feel unable to enjoy their lives or achievements.
#GAY PRIDE QUOTES MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL#
Inaccessible treatments or lack of professional help contribute to an amplification of the following mental health struggles often faced by individuals within this community. Most Common LGBTQ+ Mental Health ChallengesĪdvocates continue to address barriers and disparities in LGBTQ+ mental health and health care, especially regarding ongoing challenges. The Center for American Progress found that in 2017, 29% of transgender respondents and 8% of lesbian, gay, and bisexual respondents couldn’t access their health care provider because the provider refused to see them based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. Healthcare professionals with bigoted views still give medical advice and treatments, regardless of where the community stands on definitions or classifications.
It was a historic shift in how medical experts treated people who weren’t heterosexual, but it certainly didn’t fix everything. Health professionals refused to recognize LGBTQ+ individuals as deserving of standard care until the American Psychiatric Association declassified homosexuality as a mental illness in 1973 and advocated for equal protection under the law. Sandor Rado later argued that same-sex relationships happened in response to pathological family relationships therefore, homosexuality was a psychiatric condition. Sigmund Freud wrote in 1908 that homosexuality was not an illness, but he heteronormatively finished the statement by noting that it wasn’t “natural,” either. Numerous factors shaped discriminatory views towards people in the LGBTQ+ community, such as cultural biases and religious doctrines.ĭiffering stances by numerous psychological experts also shaped cultural views. Health care has long been an evolving science, but it hasn’t always been open or understanding to everyone. LGBTQ+ mental health disparities still exist within the healthcare world, but it’s important to address where the differences lie so we can move forward with more equitable solutions for every person. But even as equal rights continue to expand, there are numerous issues the community faces that have historically been difficult to address. The last few decades have seen numerous signs of progress for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning ( LGBTQ+) community.