Facts and Statistics
Mental illness affects all communities, including the lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ+) community. LGBTQ+ individuals are three times as likely to experience a mental health disorder in comparison to individuals that identify as straight.1 Approximately 40 percent of LGBTQ+ adults had a mental illness in the past year, in comparison to the 18 percent of total adults who faced a mental illness in the past year.2 LGBTQ+ individuals also are more likely to abuse substances at an estimated percentage of 20-30% due to factors such as prejudice and discrimination, in comparison to the 9% substance abuse of the general population.3
LGBTQ+ Youth
The adolescent period is critical for mental health as many disorders often present themselves during this period. LGBTQ youth are particularly at risk for mental health disorders because they face many adversities, including bullying, difficulty coming out to friends and family members, hate crimes, lack of support, and fear of stigma and discrimination.4
LGBTQ+ teens are six times more likely to experience symptoms of depression than their heterosexual counterparts. LGBTQ+ youth are also four times more likely to attempt suicide, have suicidal ideations or self-harm than straight youth. LGBTQ+ youth who come from highly rejecting families are over eight times as likely to have attempted suicide as LGBTQ+ peers who reported no or low levels of family rejection.5
Choosing A Provider
It's important to find a provider that you both feel comfortable with and that will understand the connection between your sexual orientation and your mental health. When choosing a provider, it would be beneficial to reach out prior to an appointment to ensure that he or she is knowledgeable about the experiences and cultural factors experienced by LGBTQ+ individuals who are facing mental health disorders, and to make sure that the provider is LGBTQ-inclusive.6
ADAA Blog Posts and Webinars
- Anxiety, Depression, and the LGBTQ Community: Thriving Through the Challenges
- The Effects of Racism on Mental Health: How to Cope
- Anxiety and Depression in LGBTQ Youth: What do we Know and How Can we Help?
- Understanding Anxiety and Depression for LGBTQ People
- Anxiety and Depression in Sexual and Gender Minority Individuals
Additional Resources
- Gay and Lesbian health Professionals Advancing LBGTQ Equality (GLMA)
- It Gets Better Project
- The Human Rights Campaign
- PFLAG
- The Trevor Project
- A Practitioner's Resource Guide: Helping Families to Support Their LGBT Children
Trending Articles
- Few Mental Health, Violence Interventions for LGBTQ Youth
- Among Teens, Transgender Males Are Most Likely to Attempt Suicide, Study Says
- This Is What It’s Like to Go to Work as a Queer Person with Mental Illness
- Reducing LGBTQ+ Teen Suicidal Behavior
- 'Being LGBTQ is not an Illness': Record Number of States Banning Conversion Therapy
- Most LGBTQ Teens Say They Experience Stress, Depression, And Feelings Of Worthlessness, Survey Finds
- Google, Trevor Project will use AI to combat LGBTQ youth suicide
1. LGBTQ, NAMI
2. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT), SAMSHA, 2017
3. LGBTQ, NAMI
4. Mental Health in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Youth, NCBI, 2016
5. Preventing Suicide Among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender & Questioning Youth: 2016 Policy Priorities, The Trevor Project, 2016
6. LGBTQ, NAMI