High Suicide Rates Among LGBTQ Youths
High Suicide Rates Among LGBTQ Youth
A suicide attempt is a “potentially self-injurious behavior with a nonfatal outcome, for which there is evidence that the person intended to kill himself or her.” Studies that compare the rate of suicide attempts among LGB youth with those among heterosexual youth show significantly higher rates for LGBTQ youth. How much higher? LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning) youth are up to 4 times more likely to commit suicide than their heterosexual peers. A similar study also shows that adolescence who were rejected by their families for being LGBTQ were 8.4 times more likely to report having attempted suicide. And for every completed suicide by a young person, it is estimated that 100 to 200 attempts are made (2003 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey). Furthermore, most suicide attempts among LGB people occur during adolescence and young adulthood. In the seriousness of these suicide attempts, 58% of LGBTQ youth responded that they had really hoped to die, compare to 33% of heterosexual responses who had hoped to die. That’s some scary statistics! What are the factors that may lead to suicide? The top three stressors gay youth face are:
Stresses related to the awareness, discovery, and disclosure of being gay – which researchers refer to as “gay-related stress”- are unique risk factors for LGB youth. Research indicates that LGB youth are more at risk for suicide attempts if they acknowledge their sexual orientation at an early age. In other words, The earlier a young person is aware of a gay or lesbian orientation, the greater the problems they may face and may be more likely at risk of suicidal feelings and behavior. Younger gay adolescents may face higher behavioral problems because of emotional and physical immaturity, unfulfilled developmental needs for identification with a peer group, lack of experience, and dependence on parents unwilling or unable to provide emotional support. Younger gay adolescents are also more likely to drop out of school, be in conflict with the law, undergo psychiatric hospitalization, run away from home, be involved in prostitution, and attempt suicide. Additionally, the internalized self-hatred and resulting pain for sexual and gender minority youth contribute to a higher risk of abusing alcohol and other drugs as a means of numbing those feelings.
It's also important to note that many of the attempted suicides occur before the teenagers become sexually active, and openly identify themselves as gay, so they are unlikely to use programs targetting gay men. By and large these kids are still hiding, they're still hidden, they're still in the closet, they're still unsure, they're still anxious they are still afraid. The youths who are at the greatest risk for suicide are the ones who are least likely to reveal their sexual orientation to anyone. Suicide may be a way of making sure that no one ever knows. It's homophobia that's killing these kids.
For More Resources, check out: National Hopeline Network Crisis Hotline - Gay and Lesbian National Hotline - 888-843-4564 (GLBT) Youth Support Line - 800-850-8078 Metanoia - Contains conversations and writings for suicidal persons to read. If you're feeling at all suicidal, be sure to read this page before you take any action. It might just save your life. www.metanoia.org/suicide 1-866-488-7386 (1-866-4.U.TREVOR aimed at gay and questioning youth)
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Again, LGBTQ youth are at a high risk of suicide largely because of societal and developmental factors. This age period is when all people face the developmental tasks of finding their identity and establishing sexual/emotional intimacy in relationships. Our society fosters, nurtures, and channels these tasks for heterosexual youth. Implicitly and explicitly, heterosexual youth have their feelings, identities, and relationships acknowledged and validated. In general, our society is a perilous wasteland for sexual and gender minority youth. Harassment, threats of violence, and physical/sexual assaults by peers and family are frequently experienced by sexual and gender minority youth. Even more ubiquitous are the slurs, insults, and jokes regarding this population which color their environment and make it an even greater challenge for them to come to love themselves and have good self-esteem.
