In honor of Pride Month, I wanted to call attention to the LGBTQ+ experience and how it relates to mental health concerns and treatment. As a counselor who works with people in the LGBTQ+ community, and as someone who is part of this community myself, I have yet to meet another from this community who has not experienced adversity along the way. What do we, as a community, know about these experiences? How do we handle trusting a system that has consistently shown injustice and discrimination? I can personally say that I have watched our society build our community up, and I am in disbelief watching, state by state, our community having our right to existence taken away. I, for one, love a good drag show and support trans rights! Personal opinions aside, here are some sobering statistics that even I was surprised to find.
The Mental Health Foundation found that over the last year, 50% of those who identify as LGBTQ+ have experienced depression, and over half either have experienced or are currently struggling with anxiety. Alarmingly, of persons ages 18-24, 1 in 8 attempted to end their lives. Finally, almost 50% of trans-identifying individuals thought about taking their lives. Alarming statistics aside, 1 in 8 LGBTQ+ persons have experienced unequal treatment due to their identity, and 1 in 7 fear they will be discriminated against, which leads to them avoiding getting treatment.
It is easy to get caught up in the negative and forget that these adversities do not define us as individuals or a community. Intersectionality, in its most basic form, is a concept that considers our multiple identities and how we experience unique challenges at the intersection of those identities. For example, I identify as a cisgender, Caucasian, gay male. My perspective and experience are based on those identities. Challenges that I have faced based on my identities are unique to me. We are all different in many ways, and our differences are what make us unique!Â
Finding a therapist that works for you and your unique experience is the most important thing. It is okay if you are not connecting with a therapist and need to move to one that is a better fit. I recommend having a brief consultation before starting sessions with a therapist to confirm they are a good fit for you. Here at Embark, consultations are an important part of our in-depth process to ensure you are paired with the right therapist for your unique identities and needs. Know that some providers, like myself, in the area are experiencing the same adversities and challenges as you. We are all unique in how we approach therapy; however, our goal remains the same: We are here to help you, help yourself.
I leave you with this quote by Lady Gaga: “I want people to walk around delusional about how great they can be—and then to fight so hard for it every day that the lie becomes the truth.”
Resources:
- Mental Health Foundation. (n.d.). LGBTIQ+ People: Statistics. Mental Health Foundation. https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/statistics/lgbtiq-people-statistics#:~:text=Being%20LGBTIQ%2B%20doesn’t%20automatically,in%20five%20had%20experienced%20anxiety
