LGBT Teens At Greater Risk For Depression & Suicide, Study Says

More and more states have become accepting of same-sex relatonships. But for teenagers, things are more difficult, as a recent study showed that LGBT teenagers are at a greater risk for depression as they deal with bullying and violence from their peers.

Sad truth. https://t.co/nlFnLsJ2HG

— harish iyer (@hiyer) August 13, 2016

In the first nationwide study for high school students, it was found that about eight percent of the high school population describe themselves as gay, lesbian, or bisexual, and these adolescents were three times more likely than straight students to have been raped. Many others are also skipping school far too often due to the fact that they didn't feel safe. At least a third of them have been bullied to the point of being threatened or injured with weapons on school property.

The numbers continued to grow. According to The New York Times, more than 40 percent of these students reported to have seriously considered suicide, and 29 percent have made attempts in the year prior to taking the survey. The percentage of those who use illegal drugs is also larger compared to their heterosexual peers -- six percent of LGBT teens have reported doing drugs, compared to the 1.3 percent of their straight peers.

Today, there are intervention and prevention programs to help these LGBT teens. Programs like Green Dot, for instance, trains students on how to support victims of bullying or physical altercations. There are also other programs that teach coping skills to students who are vulnerable, like LGBT members who need access to better mental health care and support from families, schools, and communities.

“We have to start conversations early with young people about healthy sexuality, attraction, relationships, intimacy and how to explore those feelings in as safe and respectful a way as possible,” said Dr. Elizabeth Miller, the chief of adolescent and young adult medicine at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, said.