Pride Month 2023 – What can LGBTQIA+ communities struggle with?

June is Pride month, dedicated to celebrating LGBTQIA+ communities! It’s also a tribute to people involved in the Stonewall riots of 1969.

Anyone can struggle with their mental health, but those of us who identify as LGBTQIA+ are more likely to struggle with mental health. This may be feelings of anxiety, low self-esteem, eating problems or depression.

It’s good to know that identifying as LGBTQIA+ doesn’t cause these problems – in fact, it can have a positive effect on your life, as you may feel a sense of belonging to the community, or feelings of relief and self-acceptance, which can all improve your confidence.

It’s good to be aware of the issues that our LGBTQIA+ friends can struggle with, which impact on their mental health, so that we can better support them.

What issues might LGBTQIA+ people face?

• Difficult experiences of coming out
• Homophobia, transphobia or biphobia, rejection, social isolation or exclusion, stigma and discrimination
• Members of the LGBTQIA+ community are sometimes at risk of hate crime – this can be any crime committed because of a person’s gender identity, race, sexuality or disability.
• Statistics show that roughly one in eight people who identify as LGBTQIA+ have been treated unfairly or without respect by healthcare staff, because of their identity – one in seven have avoided healthcare treatment because of this

You deserve respect and support, whatever your identity. Talking therapies such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and counselling are available for free. Talking therapies are a safe and confidential space for you to get things off your chest, without judgement.