Queer and mental health challenges: Will awareness lead to minimized social stress?

According to one study, two out of three queer people experience higher rates of anxiety and depression. The oppression and discrimination they face have particularly added to their mental health issues. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and other self-identified queer (LGBTQ) youth are often forced into their shells because they are made to believe that they belong to a different world. They are forced to question themselves about coming out and if it will be the right thing to do.

There is also a general assumption that those who choose to stay in the closet are more susceptible to mental health problems than those who choose to come out. We spoke to Richa Vashista, chief mental health expert at AtEase, who explained the challenges queer people face. He stated that while the conversation about sexuality has helped hide social stress, there is still a long way to go.

Common concerns of queer people

Richa Vashista reveals that the most common concern of people concerned about their gender identity or sexual orientation is coming out. She says, “Coming out is one of the very, very common concerns that comes up. Whether it’s a friend or your parents, or a work space.” She adds: “A lot of people have actually approached me for the first time in their lives because they’re afraid of what society will really think of them.”

Are those who chose to stay in the closet more susceptible to mental health problems than those who chose to come out?

Experts believe it’s better to let them choose rather than ‘ask’ or ‘encourage’ them to go out. Richa Vashista says, “It’s their life and their choice. Whether they come out or they want to stay in the closet, they have to decide.”

She further explains that the mental health challenges they face do not depend on the choice they make to come out, but on the person they are. “They make the decision just because they feel too much. Sometimes people who want to come out can feel really pressured, they have to live dual lives, that’s why they decide to come out. However, a person who has chosen to stay in the closet can be feeling at peace because of the decision,” says Vashista.

How to address mental health problems in different age groups?

“Because younger people are more exposed, there are a lot more conversations about sexuality and gender among them. There is more awareness of LGBTQIA than there was years ago. The younger generation also has more access to information than older people. So that’s why with older people, it’s a little harder to work around sexuality and gender because they’re much more rigid in terms of accepting it and talking about it. A lot of people also experience something called internalized homophobia. What that means it’s that internally I don’t agree with the concept of someone being gay, therefore I can’t even accept myself, so that’s also a very common thing that comes up in therapy,” says Vashista.

She adds: “The newer generation, the younger individuals, are much more aware of what they are and who they are. This might not have been the case 10 years ago.”

Does cinema play a role in minimizing social stress?

Lately, many queer people are coming out and also getting due credit for their work in show business. On the other hand, mainstream Indian cinema has tackled themes like lavender weddings, gay and lesbian love stories and others in many films. Recently the trailer for Rajkummar Rao and Bhumi Pednekar’s film ‘Badhaai Do’ shed light on lavender marriages. Does this mean that society is ready to fully accept queer people?

Richa Vashista says: “General awareness has been rising, especially through media representation, which could help the cause. It helps people to have more ideas or clarity about gender identity and it helps queer people come out much more. But also, sometimes representation is misrepresentation. It’s a very glamorous version of showing reality that is not what a gay couple is. So, cinema helps to try to reach Indian audiences, but it’s not really the best way to portray it.”

When the family does not accept your guidance, what are the consequences they face in terms of mental well-being?

Vashista explains that when queer people are not accepted by the family, there are many mental health issues that affect them. “So, for example, their sense of identity starts to get affected, they start to question their own identity, because they don’t get the approval they want from their family members. It starts to affect their self-esteem, it starts to affect the way they think about themselves. perceive themselves. Apart from that, it can also lead to serious mental health conditions like anxiety and depression. Because your identity is not validated, your identity is not accepted. So all these issues are very strong factors that lead to mental health. conditions like depression and anxiety. And it’s also sustained long-term,” explains Vashista.

How to deal with situations like these?

“A person who has symptoms or is in similar situations should always consider going to therapy. As a therapist, we will try to address how can we fix depression, how can we fix anxiety, what are the triggers that are making them anxious? The trigger can be… because my family doesn’t accept me, so no one in life will ever accept me. This leads to low self-esteem. That’s what we would do in therapy with such a person, we would help them become independent and only after that can they talk to a family member. It’s important to feel comfortable with your own identity. And a lot of times we also try to tell them that just because your family doesn’t accept you doesn’t mean no one else does.”

What are the first warning signs that a person should notice?

Richa Vashista explains that a person who begins to have mental health problems can begin to withdraw from everyone. The second warning sign is fluctuations in people’s moods. They may suddenly become agitated or angry. If you notice that a person cries more often than normal, that is also a warning sign. Or if your sleep or appetite is affected. So, these are some signs to watch out for that if you notice these things happening, then you should definitely seek therapy.