What Does LGBTQ+ Stand For?

LGBTQ+ is short for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, and intersex. But here we really mean LGBTQ++, to include anyone who is exploring their sexual orientation or gender identity.

What Are Common Issues That Affect LGBTQ+ People

We all struggle with issues in life, but LGBTQ+ people often struggle with unique issues resulting from living in a world that may perpetuate negative messages about what it means to be LGBTQ+. And without support, LGBTQ+ people can sometimes view themselves as flawed, unlovable, or unworthy. Because of this, LGBTQ+ individuals are three times as likely to experience a mental health disorder in comparison to people who identify as straight. Therefore, it’s clear that LGBTQ+ populations face unique challenges compared to their non-LGBTQ+ counterparts. 

Some common issues affecting LGBTQ+ people are: family rejection, community rejection, bullying or violence, unequal healthcare, inequality in the workplace, LGBTQ+ parenting and aging issues in the LGBTQ+ community.

Family Rejection Can Lead to Anxiety and Depression

When an LGBTQ+ person discloses their identity to their family and is rejected because of their identity, it can create feelings of deep and chronic interpersonal rejection, social isolation, social anxiety, and depression.

On the other hand, LGBTQ+ people who have not disclosed their identity to their family or close friends can also experience anxiety and depression because of the fears of what others will think of them, the uncertainty of what will happen when others find out, or the stress that comes from monitoring their behavior. Not sharing one’s identity with others can also reduce social support and lead to feelings of loneliness, isolation, and feelings of “otherness.”

Discrimination and Community Rejection Can Impact a LGBTQ+ Person’s Mental Health

We can’t always choose where we live and that can significantly impact the mental health of LGBTQ+ people. Discrimination and community rejection negatively affect LGBTQ+ people’s psychological well-being, physical well-being, and spiritual well-being. For example, LGBTQ+ people who live in communities with more prejudices about sexual orientation, die an average of 12 years sooner than LGBTQ+ people who live in less-prejudiced communities. We also know that transgender adults living in states with more LGBTQ+-affirming environments are less likely to attempt suicide. Clearly, living in a LGBTQ+-affirming community matters.

LGBTQ+ People Are at Greater Risk for Experiencing Bullying or Violence

The truth is, members of the LGBTQ+ community are at greater risk of experiencing a hate crime compared to heterosexual people. The majority of LGBTQ+ people say that they or an LGBTQ+ friend or family member have been threatened, sexually harassed, or experienced violence because of their sexuality or gender identity. In fact, in the United States, every two minutes a transgender person experiences an act of violence.

LGBTQ+ People May Experience Discrimination or Greater Inequality in the Workplace

More than half of all LGBTQ+ people feel that they have fewer employment opportunities and are paid less than non-LGBTQ+ people. As a result, LGBTQ+ people sometimes try to minimize bias in the workplace by changing their presentation at work, hiding personal relationships, or removing themselves from conversations and workplace events because they fear discrimination. This in turn diminishes their chances at building work connections and could ultimately prevent them from advancing in the workplace.

Unequal Healthcare Opportunities for Members of the LGBTQ+ Community

Another issue that LGBTQ+ people face is health inequity. More than half of all LGBTQ+ people reported that they have faced cases of providers denying care, using harsh language, or blaming the patient’s sexual orientation or gender identity as the cause for an illness. Fear of discrimination or stigma may lead some LGBTQ+ people to conceal their sexual orientation or gender identity from health care providers or avoid seeking care altogether. 

LGBTQ+ Parenting Issues Can Impact Mental Health

This generation is the largest number of LGBTQ+ adults to have children and families of their own. These LGBTQ+ families deal with issues beyond non-LGBTQ+ families including children having feelings of embarrassment due to their parents’ sexual orientation or children being harassed at school because of their parents sexuality. LGBTQ+ adults with children can also face unique issues involving blended and nontraditional families.

LGBTQ+ Individuals Can Face Issues Related to Aging

LGBTQ+ older adults face unique hurdles as they age that their straight counterparts do not have to face. For example, LGBTQ+ older adults often face harassment or hostility when accessing senior centers, volunteer centers or places of worship. LGBTQ+ older adults, who are less likely to be able to rely on family members for caregiving, often face hostile or unwelcoming health care providers, or might encounter senior care staff who are unfamiliar with the needs of the LGBTQ+ community. And LGBTQ+ people are often not eligible for Social Security spousal benefits, survivor benefits, or death benefits when they lose a partner. LGBTQ+ older adults are often denied pension plan options that provide financial protections for a surviving partner. 

Also, LGBTQ+ people may not be granted family or medical leave to take care of a sick or terminally ill partner. And worse, LGBTQ+ people could be excluded from medical decision making for a partner, or upon the death of a partner, LGBT people may be denied making end-of-life decisions about last rites, funerals, and disposition of remains.

What Can Happen if LGBTQ+ Issues Go Unaddressed?

As a result of discrimination and internalized sigma, LGBTQ+ individuals may try to conceal all or part of their identities in order to reduce their vulnerability or victimization. The psychological costs of concealment, even though it is adaptive in the short-term for increasing safety, could actually increase stress, anxiety, and depression over time. And if these issues go unaddressed, people can be at greater risk for substance abuse, self-harm, and suicide. 

LGBTQ+ People Are More Likely to Suffer with Mental Health Issues

While some LGBTQ+ individuals are incredibly resilient and will thrive in the face of adversity, they usually do so with the help of supportive families, communities, and peers. Without a supportive environment, LGBTQ+ individuals are at risk of experiencing shame, fear, discrimination, and even traumatic events. Therefore, it should be no surprise that members of the LGBTQ+ community are more likely to experience a range of mental health issues including:

• Depression
• Anxiety and/or PTSD
• Substance Abuse
• Self-Harm
• Suicide

Where to Turn to Seek Help with LGBTQ+ Issues?

If you would like to discuss lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex issues or anything related to exploring sexual orientation or gender identity, Dr. Alyx MacTernan is available and offers secure online counseling sessions for residents of California, Georgia, Florida, and Texas. Fill out the website contact form to learn more.