Lgbtq mental health matters
Mental health findings for LGBTQ+ Australians
Mental health issues if you're lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual or intersex
Homophobic or transphobic discrimination and bullying can often lead to mental health issues for people who are lesbian, homosexual, bisexual, transgender or intersex (LGBTI+).
How therapy can help
Getting help with issues you may be struggling to deal with on your own is one of the most important things you can do.
Some therapists specialise in LGBTI+ issues.
They can help you with:
- difficulty accepting your sexual orientation
- coping with other people's reactions
- feeling your body does not reflect your true gender (gender dysphoria)
- transitioning
- low self-esteem
- self-harm
- suicidal thoughts
- depression
- hostility or rejection from family, friends or your community
- fear of violence in universal places
Bullying and harassment
Self-harm
Getting help
Do not suffer in silence. You should get assist as soon as you feel the need. It's never too late or too soon to gain help, no matter how big or small your problem might seem.
You could benefit from getting assist if you:
If you're struggling to cope right now, call the Samaritans on 116 123. They extend a safe place for you to talk a
LGBTIQ+ people: statistics
LGBTIQ+ stands for lesbian, gay, multi-attracted , trans, intersex, queer or questioning. We’ve used the term LGBTIQ+ on this page, but we realise this doesn’t cover all the ways people describe their gender or sexuality. Stonewall has a glossary that lists many more terms.
Mental health problems such as depression, self-harm, alcohol and drug abuse and suicidal thoughts can modify anyone, but they’re more common among people who are LGBTIQ+.
Being LGBTIQ+ doesn’t cause these problems. But some things LGBTIQ+ people go through can influence their mental health, such as discrimination, homophobia or transphobia, social isolation, rejection, and difficult experiences of coming out.
It’s important to note that embracing creature LGBTIQ+ can have a positive impact on someone’s well-being too. It might mean they have more confidence, a sense of belonging to a collective, feelings of relief and self-acceptance, and better relationships with friends and family.
What issues might LGBTIQ+ people face?
Mental health issues
Being LGBTIQ+ doesn’t automatically mean someone will have mental health issues but may imply they’re at higher chance of experiencing poor mental he
Pride Month 2024: Day to Reflect on LGBTQIA+ Rights and Mental Health in the EU
This article has been written Lucia Kleekamm from Mental Health Europes member Mental Health Crowd. Lucia is a proud lesbian chick raising awareness about the intersection between mental health and queerness in an attempt to facilitate everyone understand why celebrating Pride Month is so essential. This article was first published in German in GEHEIMTIPP München.
Rainbow flags, celebrations, and cities in vibrant colours – in a lot of cities in Europe, people are celebrating Pride Month this June. However, beyond the festive mood, there are stern reasons why Celebration Month is more important than ever this year – one being the growth of extremist groups who pose a threat to queer rights across the EU.
Mental Health in the Gay Community
Sometimes you catch statements like: “Why do we still need a whole month for gender non-conforming people? Here in Europe, we are all already equal.” Unfortunately, this is not the existence. Although the situation for queer people has generally improved, many still exposure hostility and negative encounters. Almost every queer person has their own
Mental health support if you're lesbian, gay, double attraction or trans (LGBTQ+)
Mental health problems such as depression or self-harm can affect any of us, but they're more shared among people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBTQ+).
This may be linked to LGBTQ+ people's experience of discrimination, homophobia or transphobia, bullying, social isolation, or rejection because of their sexuality.
Other things, such as their age, religion, where they survive , and their ethnicity can insert extra complications to an already difficult situation.
How talking therapy can help
It might not be easy, but getting help with issues you're struggling to deal with on your own is one of the most important things you can do.
Talking with a therapist who's trained to operate with LGBTQ+ people may help with issues such as:
- difficulty accepting your sexual orientation
- coping with other people's reactions to your sexuality
- feeling your body does not reflect your true gender (gender dysphoria)
- transitioning
- low self-esteem
- self-harm
- suicidal thoughts
- depression
- coping with bullying and discrimination
- anger, isolation or rejection from family, friends or your community
- fear of v