#JamesDonaldson On #MentalHealth – #LGBTQ #Youth: Discrimination #Trauma May Increase #SuicideRisk By More Than 3 Times

#LGBTQ+ #youth may experience different levels of #trauma that impact their #mentalhealth.

• A recent report has found that #LGBTQ #youth who have experienced high levels of #trauma are over three times more likely to attempt #suicide.
• More than one in three young #LGBTQ people experienced such levels of #trauma in the last year.
• The highest levels of #trauma were felt by #trans and #nonbinary #youth compared to #LGBTQ #cisgender young people.

The #TrevorProject has released its latest report #LGBTQ #Youth #MentalHealth revealing relevant relationships between the trauma experienced by #LGBTQ #youth and #suicide.

This year’s report found that #LGBTQ #youth who reported a high degree of #trauma were greater than three times more likely to have attempted #suicide in the past year compared to those reporting no or moderate levels of #trauma.

Just 4% of #LGBTQ #youth reported having never experienced #trauma. More than one in three, or 37%, ages 13 to 24 reported high levels of #trauma. A quarter of those who experienced such levels of #trauma had attempted #suicide in the last year.

Nearly half, or 44%, of #transgender and #nonbinary young people reported high levels of #trauma, compared to #cisgender #LGBTQ #youth.

Dr. Myeshia Price, senior research scientist at The #TrevorProject, told Medical News Today:

“As the very existence of #LGBTQ #youth continues being debated publicly and regularly — both by lawmakers and across media — it’s imperative we highlight the impacts that #trauma-inducing experiences such as discrimination, harassment, and violence can have on the #mentalhealth of #LGBTQ young people.”

Taking the pulse of #LGBTQ #youth

Between September and December 2021, 33,993 young #LGBTQ people, 13-24 years old and residing in the USA, participated in the #TrevorProject’s 2022 National Survey on #LGBTQ #Youth #MentalHealth.

Participants were asked to rate the following four statements as “never, rarely, sometimes, or often”:

• “Due to experiences in my life, I often feel on guard or easily scared, especially around certain people or places.”
• “Due to experiences in my life, I often have nightmares or think about things when I do not want to.”
• “Due to experiences in my life, I often feel afraid as if something awful might happen.”
• “Due to experiences in my life, I feel the world is an unsafe place.”

The #CenterforDiseaseControl’s #Youth Risk #Behavior Survey Surveillance SystemTrusted Source provided the basis for additional questions regarding #suicideattempts and thoughts.

Support needed in #schools

Melanie Willingham-Jaggers, executive director of GLSEN which was founded by #teachers committed to “creating affirming learning environments for #LGBTQ #youth,” told MNT that the findings highlight a growing problem.

“Our research shows that #LGBTQ+ #youth who face hostile #school climates where they’re denied access to supportive educators and inclusive curriculum are more likely to skip #school because they feel unsafe, have lower GPAs and academic achievement, and report less of a sense of belonging in #school.”
— Melanie Willingham-Jaggers, executive director of GLSEN

“These impacts exacerbate the already high rates of #mentalhealthissues that #queer #youth are facing,” said Willingham-Jaggers, who was not involved in the report.

A traumatizing national climate

What exacerbates the #mentalhealth of #LGBTQ #youth further is also the current political climate.

“These findings cannot be viewed without the context in which they were collected,” said Dr. Price, explaining:

“This year, we have witnessed a record number of anti-#LGBTQ bills introduced in states across the country. These bills, and the ugly rhetoric surrounding them, have taken a toll on the #mentalhealth of #LGBTQ #youth — and #transgender and #nonbinary #youth in particular.”

“Recent polling found that 85% of #trans and #nonbinary #youth — and two-thirds of all #LGBTQ #youth — said debates around anti-#transgender laws have negatively impacted their #mentalhealth,” Dr. Price told MNT.

“#LGBTQ #youth report feeling scared, stressed, nervous, and a number of other emotions in response to these harmful policies.”
— Dr. Myeshia Price

Willingham-Jaggers also cited a troubling connection:

“These curriculum censorship bills are aligned with bans on discussions of #race and #racial justice, and only further shame and harass #Black #queer #students, who are already some of our most persecuted and marginalized #youth.”

The #TrevorProject’s report found higher levels of #trauma among #LGBTQ #youthofcolor, with the greatest levels experienced by Native/Indigenous #LGBTQ and Middle Eastern/Northern African #LGTBQ #youth.

#James Donaldson notes:
Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes.
Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use.
Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space.  #http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticle

Order your copy of James Donaldson’s latest book,
#CelebratingYourGiftofLife:
From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy

www.celebratingyourgiftoflife.com

What #parents can do

“Research has consistently found,” said Dr. Price, “that when #LGBTQ #youth feel supported and affirmed in their identities, their odds of attempting #suicide can lower significantly.”

“Our recent research found that something as simple as #parents talking with #youth respectfully about their #LGBTQ identity can be associated with more than 40% lower odds of attempting #suicide in the past year. The #TrevorProject’s Guide to Being an Ally to #Transgender and #Nonbinary #Youth is a great place to start for learning best practices for supporting #trans and #nonbinary young people in particular,” she said.

“Given its potentially life-saving impact, #parents should create affirming and supportive homes for their #LGBTQ #children — and they don’t have to be experts in #LGBTQ topics and identities to do so.”
— Dr. Myeshia Price

“We encourage #parents to combat anti-#LGBTQ+ rhetoric in our #schools and communities by expressing solidarity at local school board meetings, voting, or supporting your local GSA or advocacy group,” Willingham-Jaggers added.

She also pointed out:

“We can all contribute to the movement for justice by urging our representatives to take bold, proactive steps to support and protect #LGBTQ+ #students and invest in inclusive education.”

Finding hope in a worrying report

Despite the grim reality, Willingham-Jaggers also acknowledges the strides made for the health and well-being of the #LGBTQ community.

“In recent years, the #LGBTQ+ movement has made incredible strides establishing nondiscrimination protections for #LGBTQ+ people, as well as achieving more diverse representation in our #schools and communities,” she said.

However, she pointed out that “this progress and increasing visibility for our community has sparked a backlash from conservative extremists.”

Dr. Price also said that headlines may not accurately reflect the real public opinion when it comes to #LGBTQ policies.

“It is important to remember that the anti-#LGBTQ politics we see in the news are largely out of step with the reality of public opinion. Our latest polling suggests that voters in states like Florida and Texas, where we have seen especially harmful legislation, are actually less likely to support candidates that promote these anti-#LGBTQ policies,” she said.

“Our community is resilient. We’ve made progress that we once thought impossible, and we can — and must — do it again, for the safety of our #children.”
— Melanie Willingham-Jaggers