Queer Mental Health

The term queer is used to describe sexual and gender minorities who are not heterosexual and cisgender. We all are aware of the various challenges that people from these communities face. But do we know that they face more mental health issues compared to others? Although most of the research around mental health does not include LGBTQ communities, few studies do signify that these individuals are more prone to developing mental health illness, especially anxiety and depression.

The mental health challenges

Mental illness and being queer coincide. It is a sad but important reality that LGBTQ youth are four times more likely to commit suicide than their heterosexual equivalents. Various mental health issues that they face are not due to any biological predisposition, but rather due to the societal stigmas and pressures that they go through on a daily basis. More than half of the members of the community experience depression or anxiety.

Like any other marginalized community in the society, the queer community is often misjudged, misunderstood, ignored, and underrepresented in all domains of society. Even though DSM has stated that homosexuality is not a disorder back in 1973, yet in the current scenario, there is a lot of ongoing stigma around the members of the LGBTQ community.

Members of the LGBTQ community are more likely to develop problems such as self-harm, suicidal thoughts, alcohol and substance abuse, depression, low self-esteem, eating disorders, and various other mental health problems. The reason that they face these problems are not that they belong to the LGBTQ community, but rather because of problems such as rejection, trauma, substance use, suicide, and inadequate access to mental health that they face due to their sexual orientation.

Experiences of “coming out” can be a very perplexing and even traumatic experience for many. Rejection, especially from family and friends can be very arduous to cope with. Moreover, they encounter rejection from their workplace and faith community. Homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, and other forms of shaming can be very harrowing for those experiencing it. Members of the LGBTQ community often face a lot of stigmatization and discrimination throughout their life and are usually victims of sexual and physical abuse, harassment, and hate crimes. These factors further incline LGBTQ individuals to develop PTSD as compared to others.

Facing so many challenges throughout their life, substance use is often considered as a coping mechanism by the LGBTQ individuals. This has several reverberations on their mental health. Research shows that LGBTQ adults are twice as much liable to experience the substance-use disorder. Because of the rejection, discrimination, and stigmatization that they face, LGBTQ youth and young adults are more at risk of experiencing homelessness. Moreover, they confront the challenges of shelter homes accepting them and encounter high levels of sexual and physical abuse in these places. These members are also at a higher peril of suicidal ideations and attempts.

Due to the level of rejection and discrimination they face, suicide is often seen as an instantaneous solution to all the problems they battle. Additionally, very often, LGBTQ individuals confront challenges when they access mental health care services. Factors such as race and economic status further thwart the quality of care they receive for their mental illness. Furthermore, they may also suffer discrimination or abuse from the mental health provider. These negative occurrences compel them to not disclose their identities when accessing any service due to the potential bias they may face. Apart from these, factors such as gender transition, internalized oppression, and the impact of HIV or AIDS can also severely contribute to their mental health and well-being.

LGTBQ individuals may live through several forms of marginalization and discrimination at the same time. This brings us to an approach called intersectionality. This is a type of approach wherein a person’s needs and their intersecting experiences of marginalization are considered. Intersectionality takes distinctive forms in different people. Some people may face different forms of marginalization such as sexism, racism, poverty, or other factors, along with facing homophobia, biphobia, or transphobia due to their identity. These factors have adverse consequences on their mental health.

Why do we always look at the negative side of coming out as a member of the LGBTQ community? There are innumerable positive aspects to it too, such as increased levels of confidence and resilience, a sense of belongingness with the society, freedom of expression, and acceptance.

So, how can we promote positive mental health for the members belonging to the LGBTQ community?

Firstly, support from family and friends is very crucial. It is very imperious for families and friends to accept them whole-heartedly as who are they are, and not judge them in any way. As families and friends are the immediate points of contact, their support and acceptance are very crucial for their mental well-being. Secondly, creating supportive and non-discriminatory workplaces and neighborhoods can augment an individual’s positive mental well-being. Lastly, make sure to provide positive and accepting responses and assurances when members of this community come out and identify themselves.

It is also very essential for health care workers to promote and provide mental health support for LGBTQ individuals.

Firstly, health workers should address the challenges that the individuals have faced while “coming out” and living as an LGTBQ individual. Secondly, it is also imperative for them to address the discrimination and stigmatization they would have faced and also the level of support that is available to them from family, friends, and their workplace. Thirdly, they should develop an overall view of the social determinants of both, physical and mental health of the client. This will help to identify the causes of their negative experiences and change them accordingly.

Next, it is of utmost importance that the health worker tries their best to promote the acceptance of the LGTBQ individuals among family and friends. This can be done by addressing the stigmas that the family and friends may have of the individual. Lastly, it is very important that proper suicide prevention training is provided to clients, without any stereotypes and discrimination. Additionally, health-care workers should be wary of using gender-inclusive language and should also display a non-discrimination policy.

Therefore, there is a pressing need for us to build a community where everyone feels comfortable and is encouraged to talk about their mental illness irrespective of what their gender, caste, sexual orientation, etc., is. It is also equally important to support them in their struggles with mental illness.