The stats, that one in four will have a mental health problem within the next year, are well known, but, stigma and a lack of understanding of the various conditions still persist. These figures are even higher in the LGBTQ+ community with a Stonewall study finding that as many as half of people identifying as LGBTQ+ suffer with depression and that one in eight young people aged 18 – 24 had attempted to take their own life.
Being LGBTQ+ does not cause these mental health problems. These higher incidences of poor mental health are more likely associated with societal pressures. MIND identifies some of the causes as:
- Homophobia, biphobia and transphobia
- Stigma and discrimination
- Difficult experiences of coming out
- Social isolation, exclusion and rejection.
Another cause of concern is that the LGBTQ+ community is less likely to access support services: “Around one in eight LGBTIQ+ people have experienced unequal treatment from healthcare staff because they are LGBTIQ+. One in seven have avoided treatment for fear of discrimination.” https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/statistics/lgbtiq-people-statistics
At Avant-Gardening/Bijou Stories we believe that social interaction can be one of the first steps to finding the support that individuals need to improve their mental health. The activities we offer are not in themselves an alternative to mental health support or treatment, but they can be a first step in looking after your mental health and recognising when you may need professional help.
We are now considering how we can develop a programme of activities that explore mental health within the LGBTQ+ community and deliver workshops that complement our wider programme.
We will shortly be publishing a list of LGBTQ+ friendly mental health resources and sharing
Bijou Stories 