According to a new study, which analyzed 25 earlier studies regarding sexual orientation and mental health, homosexuals and bisexuals are about 50% more likely than their heterosexual counterparts to suffer from depression and abuse drugs.
The researchers also found that the risk of suicide jumped over 200% for those who had engaged in a homosexual lifestyle.
While the study could not answer why homosexuality is linked to depression, lead researcher Michael King speculated that is most likely due to the lifelong stresses caused by the discrimination and rejection that homosexuals and bisexuals suffer from.
King did note that therapists should be cautious about automatically assuming that a patient's depression was directly related to their sexual orientation. "This occurs quite frequently," King said, "much to the irritation of many (lesbian, gay and bisexual) people who seek therapy." Instead, King notes, therapists should focus on the depression itself and simply be aware that homosexual and bisexual patients are at greater risk for mental health disorders.
The study was published in the August 18 issue of BMC Psychiatry.
If social stigma is the cause of this rate of depression in suidice, then why is there virtually no difference in the rate of mental health problems in homosexuals in the Netherlands, Denmark, and New Zealand compared to the U.S.? All those countries are very, very tolerant of homosexuality…the first two countries accept it in marriage.
I think the good doctor has a dog in this race!
Also, if it is society that causes the rate of depression and suicide to be so high, then why don’t other groups that are rejected by society have similar rates. Forty years ago, black people weren’t not even allowed to drink out of the same water fountains as white people. That is extreme rejection by society.
I agree with Robert. The “good doctor” has a dog in this race. I’m gay, or suffer from same-sex attraction, and I’m extremely depressed because I fell prey to a homosexual lifestyle. I must say, and I’m sure many will agree, it is such an empty lifestyle. I just don’t know what to do when the holidays and special occasions roll around and I have nobody special in my life (meaning a partner) to share it with. It’s very lonely.
Why would a homosexual lifestyle be empty?You can do all the same things as in a heterosexual life.Also just because you dont have a partner,doesnt mean you should be lonely.You still have work collegues,friends,family.Having a partner is overrated!Above all you keep your freedom when you are single.Once you are paired up,that goes out the window.
As for the rates of depression in denmark etc. there could still be strong undercurrents of hatred towards homosexuality.Even though the U.S appears accepting on the surface,there a strong undercurrent of homo hatred.The same could be said for norway,sweden etc.Finally,other minority groups are not bullied at school with the same frequency as homosexuals.In fact there is no other defineable minority group which are bullied with the same frequency of homosexuals.Although authorities preach acceptance,there is a very low degree of acceptance in reality.
many homosexuals agree that is it the lifestyle that makes them depressed. Strong currents of hatred??? Seems to me you are trying to cover truth. Most people believe homosexuality is a disorder, and that being the case acceptance is impossible. Tolerance and respect for each other is the goal, and that is a lot different from acceptance.
I believe that anytime a person ingnores and supresses the deep down voice of their consceince and choses to act immorally and unnaturally (being above animal behavior as humans) they will be host to a mirage of mental and health problems. This has very little to do with society accepting them as normal, as they will never feel truly accepted while maintaining their “lifestyle choice” causes internal moral conflict… which is why they pine for societal acceptance so aggressively. The same is true with other immoral behavior such as violence, rage, murder, and substance abuse, and incest. I think we will continue to see higher and higher percentages of people with this lifestyle having major psychiatric disorders, substance abuse problems, high risk sexual behaviors/diseases (already a major issue), and suicide attempts/ideations, regardless of whether society accepts them as a whole or not.
Wow…most of these comments show no real cohesiveness with acceptance toward live and let live. We continue to judge based on religious beliefs or personal beliefs. Not understanding is one thing but how hard is it to truly Accept people who are homosexual and choose to have a partner of the same sex? If two Adults of the same sex decide they want to be partners there is No problem with that what so ever. We can continue to degrade and ridicule and say how unhealthy and how mentally ill they are but how mentally stable are those who isolate and ostracize people. It also should not matter if it is a choice or if someone is born that way. If two consenting adults want to have a relationship then people really need to stop trying to criticize their choice. Sadly, I do not know how much me writing about this is going to help bring peace to the world but it is sad to hear such ignorance still this day in age. Why the continual controlling types of behaviors. People say my kids I don’t want them to see that. They say it is perverted. They say it is an abomination. They say anything that can criticize it to such a degree to try and get whatever they are trying to get out of saying these hurtful things. It is likely people like me will have to accept that some people on the Earth will fill their beings up with hatred toward people they do not know, have not interacted with, based on the only fact they know about them and that is being homosexual. There is no God in that hatred as far as I know and in my heart and soul I feel that we need to Live and Let Live as long as no one is hurting another person then leave them alone and let people choose the partners they want to…continued on next comment…Take Care***
continued…An article about Depression and Homosexuality and most of the comments are by people who expressed homosexuality as some type of illness; even another homosexual feels that way is depressing. Being homosexual may be difficult for some but to totally reject that part of yourself and feel it is sick and wrong is sad because many types of people live on this Earth and if we have beautiful, loving, people who have a partner that is the same sex they are then we need to embrace and love those people just the same as everyone else…Take Care***
Even homosexuals know they are not behaving normally. Whether you are religious or not the end result is the same – a dead end. The religious would say it is against God – atheist would say it is against nature (survival of the fittest) It is no wonder they feel depressed. They don’t fit in either camp. It must be difficult to feel attracted to the same sex and yet know it is not normal. It is more important that you ask yourself “why” and find the help to change the way you think. It is a matter of life or death.