LGBTQ young adult mental health issues

Being a LGBTQ Young Adult and Coping with Mental Health Issues

LGBTQ young adult mental health issuesFiguring out who you are in this world is tough enough without having to worry about your sexual/gender orientation. Now, your questions aren’t only, “What am I going to do with my life? How will I contribute to society? What will my next five years look like?” But, “Who am I? How do I identify? What will my friends and family think? How can I be my true self without giving up my support system?”

Because of these unknowns, many mental health issues that weren’t exhibited before now present themselves. The most common mental health concerns described by LGBTQ young adults are isolation, depression, anxiety, suicide, and substance abuse.

Isolation and the feeling of “not belonging” are often particularly salient for the transgendered community. Struggles with rejection by families and peers and harassment by society at large, often leads to feelings of isolation, hopelessness, despair, self-destructive behaviors, suicidal thoughts, suicidal attempts, and completed suicides. Anxiety tends to increase as fears of the unknown permeate and consume ones thoughts.

TRIGGER WARNING (SUICIDE and SELF-INJURY TOPICS)

help for LGBTQ young adults with mental health issues

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(quotes above are courtesy of Building Partnerships: Conversations with LGBTQ Youth About Mental Needs and Community Strengths by UC Davis Center for Reducing Health Disparities)

 

“I have noticed that people within the LGBTQ community have struggles that others do not experience. We experience a lot of shame and oppression. Often times, we are told that our voices don’t matter. We are not rightfully represented in the media. This is why I believe that it’s so important to speak up about sexuality and gender in relation to mental health. I hope that my posts can help people who are experiencing similar problems.”
LGBTQ Blogger

 

How is coming to terms with one’s sexuality related to Failure to Launch Syndrome? Failure to Launch Syndrome is the inability to leave home and begin a journey toward self-supported life, due to either a lack of desire or preparation, or the inability due to mental health issues, learning disabilities, or social anxieties.

 

We know that Failure to Launch Syndrome is heavily affected by depression and/or anxiety. Those who identify as LGBTQ have a higher chance of self-harm, substance abuse, and eating disorders, for example, which are all linked to depression. Depression is often so severe that the young adult figuring out his/her sexuality has little to no motivation for anything else – they may refuse to go to school, search for a job, complete activities of daily living (ie, showering, dressing, proper nutrition, etc).

 

Some of the key components of Failure to Launch Syndrome are low tolerance for distress, low levels of motivation, low levels of persistence, failure to take responsibility when appropriate, narcissism, high expectations of others without reciprocating, lack of vision for the future or long term goals, and lack of skills needed for adulthood, like basic cooking and cleaning skills. As one may presume, a LGBTQ young adult figuring out his or her sexuality and whether or not he or she will be accepted by his or her support system, not to mention dealing with the depression and/or anxiety, becomes an all-consuming task, leaving little motivation for anything else. Unfortunately, more often than not, suicidal ideations and attempts appear to be the only way out, because of the perceived “better outcome” than coming out to loved ones and admitting defeat with the transition to adulthood.

 

TRIGGER WARNING (SUICIDE and SELF-INJURY TOPICS)

 

“I sincerely believe that denying my genderqueer identity has worsened my depression and anxiety. The past few months have been some of the hardest of my life. I find myself wanting to cut again, I’ve been drinking more alcohol, and I’ve been living life like a ghost. My body is here, but my mind is somewhere far, far away. I’m disappointed to say that I’ve been having dark thoughts, even suicidal thoughts. I don’t want something bad to happen, so this is why I have decided to come out as genderqueer.”
LGBTQ Blogger (emphasis added)

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Ways to Support


Talk and listen.
Support systems who talk with and listen in a way that invites an open discussion about sexual orientation can help their loved one feel loved and supported

Provide support. Support systems who take time to come to terms with how they feel about their loved one’s sexual orientation will be more able to respond calmly and use respectful language. Support systems should develop common goals with their loved one, including being healthy and doing well in school or work.

Stay involved. Support systems who make an effort to know about their loved one’s life and know what their loved one is doing can help their loved one stay safe and feel cared about.

Be proactive. Support systems can access many organizations and online information resources to learn more about how they can support their LGBTQ loved ones.

Article References   DHCS CDC Healthy Place Guiding Youth

 

Need more help and support? At Optimum Performance Institute, we offer compassionate, clinically sophisticated intensive residential and IOP outpatient/day treatment help for young adults of all sexual orientations and identities who suffer from mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. Rather than a sterile, hospital-like environment, we offer beautiful accommodations in luxury apartments just outside of Los Angeles.  At OPI, we treat the individual, not the diagnosis.  We are a diverse community of passionate, highly skilled individuals working together with you to help you find your joy and express it.   For more information on OPI residential programs and our measures to help young adults with Bipolar Disorder, call us at (888) 814-5985 or click HERE to submit an online form. We’ll be in touch promptly.