LGBT+ youth face major barriers getting mental health care – despite being at higher risk of depression, self-harm and even suicide.
Overall, more than half (54%) of LGBT+ youths who wanted mental health care in the past year couldn’t get it. A new report looked at 13 to 24-year-olds who are LGBT+ in the US.
It found LGBT+ youths from all backgrounds faced barriers. However, race, gender, where they live and poverty could all make the situation even worse.
Meanwhile young people used words like ‘embarrassed’, ‘ashamed’ and ‘weakness’ to explain why they aren’t getting mental health care when they need it.