LGBT Mental Health
High Levels of Mental Health Problems
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people are more likely to experience mental health problems than heterosexuals. BUT THIS NEED NOT BE THE CASE! The problems usually start in adolescence, when we are trying to come to terms with our sexuality.
We found that members of GALYIC were much more likely than heterosexual young people to experience depression, anxiety, self harm, attempted suicide and phobias; other research has also found eating disorders to be a problem.
An organisation in New Zealand, PrideNZ, have developed a series of videos of LGBT people talking about their mental health. These six videos show how the stress of coming to terms with being LGBT can sometimes push young people over the top. Why not have a look at them and see if they ring any bells with you? Click here to access videos.
Beyondblue is a national charity in Australia. They are developing resources for LGBT people and are currently conducting research about on-line resources for LGBT people. You cannot take part in the survey unless you are in Australia but YOU CAN access the information available on the site by clicking here. This very useful resource tells you about mental health in general, stress, anxiety, addiction, help for suicidal thoughts, and helping someone else who might be suicidal. Of course, all the help numbers are Australian - see the Useful links section at the bottom of the page to find out about support in the UK.