James Donaldson on Mental Health - Preventing youth suicide in LGBTQ+ youth

— This Pride Month, advocates are working to help youth struggling with mental health create safe spaces complete with acceptance and support.

National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People found 36% of those ages 13 to 24 seriously considered attempting suicide in the last year .

Ellie Mental Health Clinic Director Aaron Warren, 32, said he attempted suicide twice growing up and hopes sharing his journey helps the younger generation feel like they are not alone.

“It can be hard, even in the most supportive homes being a queer kid, because even if your home is supportive, there’s a huge part of society that’s not,” said Warren, who shared that he first attempted suicide at 14, then again in college.

“Caught me between two worlds and I didn’t know what to do,” said Warren.

“I had the world I grew up in where like, it was the worst thing you could possibly be, and you had to shove it down and stifle it, to and now, I’m being shamed for not being proud of it and that tension became too much for me,” said Warren.

“I tried twice and didn’t succeed.

I got very lucky.” Lucky to be alive, said Warren, whose personal journey is now part of his professional one.

the licensed marriage and family therapist focuses on areas including LGBTQ+ issues and religious trauma.

He said clients appreciate the fact that he can relate.