World Mental Health Day
Today is World Mental Health Day. The 2022 theme set by the World Federation for Mental Health is to ‘make mental health and wellbeing for all a global priority’.
LGBT+ mental health
In June 2022, a NHS report revealed that LGBT+ people in Scotland still face significant health and social inequalities, across every measure of wellbeing.
The research found that 54% of LGBT+ people have a mental health problem such as depression, anxiety or chronic stress. 72% said their mental or emotional wellbeing got worse due to COVID.
The research found a clear relationship between social health and mental health, highlighting that other people’s attitudes and actions directly affected our community’s mental wellbeing.
A non-binary respondent said:
“I’ve had a lot of issues with anxiety and stress for pretty much as long as I can remember. It was made worse by people not accepting me, especially the two long-term partners I had before – they would just deny whenever I tried to bring up my identity. That’s kind of shattered my self-esteem to the point. I guess the anxiety of how people are going to view me – that worry is always in the back of my mind”.
Despite these higher levels of mental health problem, research also found that LGBT+ people are less likely to access key health services because of negative past experiences or anticipating being stigmatised or discriminated.
LGBT+ mental health support
At LGBT Health and Wellbeing, it is our mission to promote the health, wellbeing and equality of LGBT+ adults (16+) in Scotland. We want to live in a Scotland where sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression do not impact negatively on health and wellbeing.
We support the community in Scotland by providing a range of accessible, responsive and LGBT+ affirmative support services, community events and initiatives. We also work with statutory and third sector partners to raise awareness of the experiences and needs of LGBT+ people, to support the development of LGBT+ inclusive policies and services.
We run a national LGBT+ helpline for LGBT+ people right across Scotland. This includes those questioning or exploring their sexual orientation or gender identity. Our helpline is also here for the families, friends and supporters of LGBT+ people, and health and social care professionals working with LGBT people.
We also provide a counselling service in Edinburgh and Glasgow, as well as flexible 1-1 support sessions with our Mental Health Development Workers.
To help LGBT+ people find each other, we host a social programme of events, workshops, and peer support groups aimed at building and supporting the ways that LGBT+ people look after their wellbeing.
Finally, we’re proud to have partnered with the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland to produce a guide for health and social care service providers with guidance on how to develop mental health services inclusive of the unique needs of LGBT+ people.
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