Summary: At BACA, we support mental health among LGBTQIA+ teens by offering evidence-based treatment in a compassionate, welcoming atmosphere, designed to foster healing and growth.
Key Points:
- LGBTQIA+ teens are at increased risk of developing several mental health and behavioral disorders
- Rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidality have increased among all teens over the past 10-15 years
- LGBTQIA+ teens show higher rates of mental health disorders than their heterosexual peers
- The most powerful protective factor for LGBTQIA+ teen mental health is a family that offers unconditional love and support regardless of their sexual identity or gender expression
What You’ll Learn:
In this article, we’ll share the latest information on mental health among LGBTQIA+ teens, how we support this vulnerable demographic with evidence-based treatment, and what we can all do to better support LGBTQIA+ teens as they navigate the ups and downs of adolescence and move forward toward adulthood.
To read our previous publications on mental health among LGBTQIA+ teens, please navigate to our blog and review these articles:
How Can I Support My LGBTQ+ Teen Who Just Came Out During Pride Month?
New Reports on Mental Health Among LGBTQ+ Teens and Young Adults
Risks LGBTQIA+ Teens Face: What We Need to Understand
Before we share the most recent data on mental health among LGBTQIA+ teens, we’ll give perspective to the lived experience of LGBTQIA+ teens by offering details about the various risks they face as a result of their identity. Cumulatively, these risks increase the likelihood of developing a wide range mental and behavioral disorders, compared to their non-LGBTQIA+ peers.
Advocates for LGBTQIA+ rights and equality understand the challenges LGBTQIA+ people face, and the unique and difficult challenges LGBTQIA+ teens must overcome every day. However, not everyone knows or understands these challenges.
To help people with no direct connection to the LGBTQIA+ experience, either personally, through friends, or through family, we adapted the following material from an excellent resource on LGBTQIA+ mental health on the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) LGBTQ+ Resource Page. Mental health experts from NAMI identify the following seven factors that increase risk of negative experiences and/or negative mental health outcomes for LGBTQIA+ teens.
Risks and Hidden Consequences: Mental Health and LGBTQIA+ Teens
1. Coming Out
Coming out of the closet is an important step for many LGBTQIA+ teens. In most cases, research shows it leads to positive mental health outcomes. With the gradual reduction of stigma and increased understanding of LGBTQIA+ issues in our society, more and more teens come out during adolescence. Although the long-term outcomes of coming out are positive, in the short-term, coming out can have negative consequences for teens who don’t have support from their families our communities.
2. Rejection
Rejection by family, friends, and loved ones accounts for the vast majority of mental, psychological, and emotional difficulties faced by LGBTQIA+ teens.
Why?
Because those are the people who are supposed to support them in tough times, rather than reject, judge, and condemn them.
Non-profit research and/or advocacy groups regularly collect, analyze, and publish data on rejection among LGBTQA+ teens. Data available here, here, and here shows the following:
- 86% of LGBTQ+ youth reported being harassed or assaulted at school
- 37% of LGBTQ youth identified their home as an LGBTQ-affirming space.
- 40% of LGBT adults have experienced rejection from a family member or a close friend when they came out
Rejection is particularly painful and disruptive when it comes from family, friends, and loved ones who refuse to accept your identity and lifestyle.
3. Trauma
The American Psychological Association defines trauma as follows:
“…an emotional response to a terrible event like an accident, crime, natural disaster, physical or emotional abuse, neglect, experiencing or witnessing violence, death of a loved one, war, and more. Immediately after the event, shock and denial are typical. Longer term reactions include unpredictable emotions, flashbacks, strained relationships, and even physical symptoms like headaches or nausea.”
For a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, the following things meet criteria for trauma:
- Homophobia
- Biphobia
- Transphobia
- Bullying
- Identity-based discrimination
- News stories disparaging the LGBTQIA+ community
- Public figures disparaging the LGBTQIA+ community
Facts related to trauma in the LGBTQIA+ community include:
- Reports from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) showing that 16.7% of hate crimes in 2018 targeted people because of their sexual orientation
- Reports from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) showing that 2.2% of hate crimes in 2018 targeted people because of their gender identity
- Peer reviewed journal articles published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) showing that members of the LGBTQIA+ community are at increased risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to trauma associated with stigma, exclusion, rejection, and discrimination
4. Self-Medication
Self-medication refers to the phenomenon of using alcohol or drugs to manage, reduce, or cope with the painful emotions associated with emotional and psychological difficulties. It’s common for people with depression, anxiety, and PTSD to engage in self-medication. While this approach may offer short-term relief, self-medication causes more problems than it solves.
Evidence shows the following:
- Transgender people are 400% more likely to develop a disorder related to self-medication
- LGBTQIA+ people are 100% more likely to develop a disorder related to self-medication
- Data from the 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (2023 YRBS) shows the following:
- Lifetime illicit drug use: LGBTQIA+ teens report at twice the rate of non-LGBTQIA+ teens
- Lifetime opioid misuse: LGBTQIA+ teens report at over twice the rate of non-LGBTQIA+ teens
- Current opioid misuse: LGBTQIA+ teens report at three times the rate of non-LGBTQIA+ teens
At BACA, we support patients with primary mental health or behavioral disorders, who may self-medicate in order to experience short-term relief from mental health symptoms.
5. Unstable Housing and Homelessness
In some cases, an LGBTQIA+ teen comes out of the closet and experiences the most severe form of rejection from their family: they get kicked out of their home. When that happens, the teen is at severe risk of experiencing harm from sexual predators, drug dealers, and other unscrupulous adults who take advantage of vulnerable children and teens. Risks include using substances, forced prostitution, human trafficking, rape, and assault.
Evidence shows:
- LGBTQIA+ teens are at 50% increased risk of homelessness, compared to non-LGBTQIA+ peers
- Black and Native American/Alaska Native LGBTQIA+ teens are at highest risk of experiencing homelessness
- Homeless LGBTQIA+ teens report the following:
- 38% were forced to have sex, compared to 15% non-LGBTQIA+
- 62% experienced physical assault, compared to 47% non-LGBTQIA+
- 25% engaged in self-harm, compared to 15% non-LGBTQIA+
- 64% experienced discrimination from their family, compared to 37% non-LGBTQIA+
- 60% experienced discrimination outside their family, compared to 37% non-LGBTQIA+
- 27% engaged in sex for survival, compared to 9% non-LGBTQIA+
In addition, not all homeless shelters accept LGBTQIA+ people, which compounds and exacerbates an already difficult set of circumstances.
6. Suicide
Rejection, trauma, self-medication, and homelessness all increase suicide risk for LGBTQIA+ teens. Evidence shows the following:
- LGBTQA+ high school students show 400% increased risk of suicide attempts, compared to non-LGBTQIA+ high school students
- 40% of transgender adults report attempting suicide once during their lives, compared to 5% of the non-transgender population
We’ll share more data on suicidality below. If you or someone you love it at imminent risk of harm, call 911 or go the emergency room immediately. If you or someone you love is in crisis but not at imminent risk of harm, call the 988 National Crisis Line.
7. Insufficient or Nonexistent Mental Health Care
Communities that don’t support LGBTQIA+ people are unlikely to have an adequate number of professional mental health providers with experience supporting LGBTQIA+ people. Those communities are also unlikely to have an adequate number of providers with expertise supporting the mental health of LGBTQIA+ teens. However, when LGBTQIA+ teens receive support from professional providers with experience working with LGBTQIA+ teens, outcomes improve.
Now let’s take a look at the latest data on mental health among LGBTQIA+ teens.
Mental Health Among LGBTQIA+ Teens: Facts and Figures
We collected the following data from the 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (2023 YRBS) published by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The CDC data and description of the YRBS is unavailable. However, to get an idea of what the YRBS was – and may be again in the future – please visit the Youth Risk Behavior Survey site maintained by the State of Vermont Department of Health.
If you read about the goals and methods used by Vermont, you’ll have a clear idea of the how, what, and why behind the CDC YRBS.
Let’s take a look at what the survey says about mental health among LGBTQIA+ teens. We’ll start with a metric that acts as a stand-in for depression: feelings of sadness or hopelessness.
Persistent Feelings of Sadness or Hopelessness
- Total: 42%
- By Sexual identity:
- LGBTQIA+: 69%
- Heterosexual: 35%
LGBTQIA+ teens experience these feelings at twice the rate of their non-LGBTQIA+ peers.
Experienced Poor Mental Health, Past 30-Days
- Total: 29%
- By Sexual identity:
- LGBTQIA+: 52%
- Heterosexual: 32%
LGBTQIA+ teens experience these feelings at almost twice the rate of their non-LGBTQIA+ peers.
Seriously Considered Suicide, Past Year
- Total: 22%
- By Sexual identity:
- LGBTQIA+: 45%
- Heterosexual: 15%
LGBTQIA+ teens seriously considered suicide at three times the rate of their non-LGBTQIA+ peers.
Made a Suicide Plan, Past Year
- Total: 18%
- By Sexual identity:
- LGBTQIA+: 37%
- Heterosexual: 12%
LGBTQIA+ teens made suicide plans at over three times the rate of their non-LGBTQIA+ peers.
Attempted Suicide, Past Year
- Total: 10%
- By Sexual identity:
- LGBTQIA+: 22%
- Heterosexual: 6%
LGBTQIA+ teens attempted suicide at almost four times the rate of their non-LGBTQIA+ peers.
School Connectedness: Felt Close to People at School
- Total: 61%
- By Sexual identity:
- LGBTQIA+: 52%
- Heterosexual: 65%
LGBTQIA+ teens attempted suicide at a rate 20% higher than their non-LGBTQIA+ peers.
That data leaves no room for confusion or misunderstanding. By virtually all mental health metrics, LGBTQIA+ youth are in an ongoing state of risk and crisis. That’s why we write and publish articles like this one: increasing awareness and reducing stigma can improve life for LGBTQIA+ teens. Here’s another important thing to understand:
Mental health challenges experienced by LGBTQIA+ teens are not a result of being LGBTQIA+, but rather a complex set of circumstances/factors – like anyone else – which are exacerbated by stigma, rejection, and discrimination.
At BACA, we support LGBTQIA+ teens by recognizing their experience, honoring their identity, helping them identify long-term goals, and supporting them on their journey from where they are to where they want to be. We prioritize empathy, compassion, understanding, and collaboration – and we see this approach improve lives every day.
We’ll close this article by sharing the ways in which LGBTQIA+ teens say they want others to support them.
We Know How We Want to Help – But How do LGBTQIA+ Teens Want Us to Help?
In a survey conducted by The Trevor Project in 2024, LGBTQIA+ teens answered the question:
How do you want adults and non-LGBTQIA+ people to support you?
Here’s how they replied:
- 9/10 want others to trust them to make decisions about their sexual identity
- 8/10 want others to stick up for them when they’re not around
- 8/10 want others to oppose anti-LGBTQIA+ policies
- 6/10 want others to educate themselves about the LGBTQIA+ experience
- 6/10 want others to use their preferred pronouns
- 6/10 ask others to support their gender identity
- 5/10 want adults to accept their partner or partners
- 4/10 want others to support them on social media
- 4/10 say displaying a pride flag is an excellent way to show support
We want to point out that showing support on social media is toward the bottom of the list, and trusting them to know who they are is at the very top. What that means is that LGBTQIA+ teens want us to actually support them with our behavior, not just our words – and do it when it counts, when it’s hard, and when it may be uncomfortable. They’re asking us to speak up for them when they can’t speak for themselves, represent them when they’re unrepresented, and support them as they try to live an authentic life guided by their personal beliefs and values.
We think that’s not too much to ask, and will continue to support and serve LGBTQIA+ teens and their families as long as they need support.
LGBTQIA+ Helpful Resources and Links
The National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) provides this excellent list of LGBTQIA+ friendly mental health resources:
- The Association of Gay and Lesbian Psychiatrists
- The Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network
- GLBT National Help Center
- The Association for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Issues in Counseling
- The Trevor Project
- The American Psychological Association (APA)
- The Gay and Lesbian Medical Association’s Provider Directory
- The National Center for Transgender Equality
- SAGE National LGBT Elder Hotline
- Society for Sexual, Affectional, Intersex, and Gender Expansive Identities (SAIGE)
- Trans Lifeline
- Depression Looks Like Me
