The kids aren't alright: Depression and anxiety rates are skyrocketing among LGBTQ+ youth

"Mental health crises among LGBTQ+ youth have recently risen significantly, according to a new report from The Trevor Project, with anxiety symptoms climbing from 57 percent to 68 percent, depressive symptoms increasing from 48 percent to 54 percent, and suicidal ideation growing from 41 percent to 47 percent. While past-year suicide attempts declined from 11 percent to 7 percent, the rate remains higher than national estimates for cisgender heterosexual youth."

""While many of the findings in this study are devastating, they are not surprising," said Jaymes Black, CEO of The Trevor Project. "LGBTQ+ young people in this country continue to face elevated levels of stigma and political rhetoric, which take a serious toll on their mental health and well-being." Project SPARK Interim Report: A Longitudinal Study of Risk and Protective Factors in LGBTQ+ Youth Mental Health is the organization's first-ever longitudinal study, featuring data from 1,689 LGBTQ+ youth (ages 13-24) across the U.S."

"Transgender and nonbinary youth ages 13 to 17 reported the poorest mental health and highest risk for suicide, being nearly twice as likely to report anxiety (70 percent vs. 42 percent ) and suicidal ideation (53 percent vs. 28 percent ) compared to cisgender peers. In the past year, one-third of all participants reported being physically harassed or threatened because of their sexual orientation, and two-fifths of trans and nonbinary respondents said they were harassed or threatened because of their gender identity."

Anxiety symptoms among LGBTQ+ youth increased from 57 percent to 68 percent, depressive symptoms from 48 percent to 54 percent, and suicidal ideation from 41 percent to 47 percent over the past two years. Past-year suicide attempts declined from 11 percent to 7 percent but remain higher than estimates for cisgender heterosexual youth. Transgender and nonbinary youth ages 13 to 17 reported the poorest mental health and highest suicide risk, nearly twice as likely to report anxiety and suicidal ideation compared to cisgender peers. Significant proportions reported harassment, threats, and discrimination related to sexual orientation and gender identity.

Read at Advocate.com