June is pride month.
We just had pride weekend and today
we're highlighting mental health
within the LGBTQ plus community.
Those who identify as LGBTQ plus
are at higher risk for mental health
issues than heterosexual people.
More than twice as likely.
So joining us now.
Our family psychologist
Doctor Cheryl Ziegler,
always good to see you.
So is this obvious?
Because of of the stress that is
often put on LGBTQ families and
and people in LGBTQ communities.
Absolutely, it starts.
When they're young, right?
There's there's this
natural stage of confusion,
and then maybe you realizing that ohh,
I feel different.
I feel different than my peers.
And then you keep that to yourself.
That's the main part of this is
how much it's kept to themselves.
And so there's a long process where
you start to see things like stigma.
You start to see things that maybe feel like,
well, if I came out,
this wouldn't feel supportive of me.
What would happen? Would I be in danger?
Would my family be in danger?
Would they support me so it's oftentimes
many years of contemplating this and so?
Throughout that process, yes,
they experience prejudice and
discrimination sometimes when they
even try to do some things or try to,
you know,
do something different and so
that reinforces that feeling of
maybe this doesn't feel safe.
I would think too. Sometimes long
term if you fake it because you're
feeling like you don't feel safe to
come out that causes more problems.
Sometimes long term with your mental health.
Absolutely. I mean what we know is
that it's depression and anxiety
that are highest and the LGBTQ.
US community, and so a lot of that is
really not being able to be your authentic
self and especially with your family.
So that becomes the hardest part.
So when we look at the stages you
know the 2nd to last stage is coming
out to close friends but the very
last stage is usually coming out to
your family and that's I think so
important that that they feel their
family members may not be accepting
and and coming out.
We we hear these marvelous stories
of people coming out and finding
acceptance and also hear horror stories.
People coming out and finding
themselves completely, you know,
become a pariah in their own lives.
Are we getting better at it?
I mean, what is? What is?
How do you make it so that it
is not as significant like that?
You hopefully can come out one day
and just just go on with your day?
Well, there's a couple of
things that are happening.
What we're getting better at is awareness.
Conversation like we're having
right now and so many large
brands every you know, kind of.
This was a big Pride month, right?
So that part is great.
However, what's still really
happening in actuality is that.
People who are LGBTQ plus talk about huge
boundaries and barriers to getting treatment.
They have very little access to it.
There's probably not enough support.
Not enough people.
Mental health even trained
around these issues.
And then the other part is
really this depression,
which we're we're talking four
times more likely to attempt
suicide than the average population.
So we have made strides in terms of
talking about it and having awareness,
but we certainly have not
made near enough strides.
Around the actual mental health and
process of what this is actually like.
So
what what do they do?
Where are these resources?
I mean, even if you want to be a
supportive friend or family member,
what's your recommendation?
Yeah, one of my first recommendations
is really going to the Trevor project.
OK, they've got a great website.
They have a texting line.
They have a call line that's available 24/7.
I was actually on it today and
there was a there was a message on
the top that said due to the high
demand we might be a little slower.
The response, so there are people that
are really looking for this kind of help.
So I say go there and then I say
for families that are listening.
Just know I hope that resonates with
them that if you have a child that
maybe they want to come out to you
around some part of this to be open
loving and unconditionally accepting,
well it's it's. It's a challenging Rd
still for many and that information
from the Trevor project that we had on
the screen and we'll be posting as well
at 9news.com hopefully as an asset,
an ally for people if they.
If they can't find it elsewhere,
or if somebody wants to learn
more about how to be an ally,
it's a great way to start.
Absolutely Doctor Cheryl Ziegler.
Thanks as always. Thank you.