The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has released new findings from the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, showing the behavioral health challenges faced by LGBTQ+ youth.
Here are four takeaways from the report:
- LGBTQ+ youth are more likely to experience mental health issues, including major depressive episodes and serious thoughts of suicide. LGBTQ+ male youth are particularly at risk, being about five times more likely to attempt suicide compared to straight male youth.
- Among female youth, almost half of LGBTQ+ individuals and nearly one in three who were unsure of their sexual identity experienced a major depressive episode in the past year, compared to one in five straight female youths.
- LGBTQ+ youth are at higher risk for both substance use and co-occurring mental health conditions. More than one in eight LGBTQ+ male youths and one in seven LGBTQ+ female youths had a substance use disorder, with rates significantly higher than straight youth.
- LGBTQ+ male youth were at least four times more likely to make a suicide plan compared to their straight peers, highlighting the need for targeted mental health support within this group.