A recent report has found that LGBTQ youth who have experienced high levels of trauma are over three times more likely to attempt suicide.
More than one in three young LGBTQ people experienced such levels of trauma in the last year.
The highest levels of trauma were felt by trans and nonbinary youth compared to LGBTQ cisgender young people.
The Trevor Project has released its latest report LGBTQ Youth Mental Health revealing relevant relationships between the trauma experienced by LGBTQ youth and suicide.
This year’s report found that LGBTQ youth who reported a high degree of trauma were greater than three times more likely to have attempted suicide in the past year compared to those reporting no or moderate levels of trauma.
Just 4% of LGBTQ youth reported having never experienced trauma. More than one in three, or 37%, ages 13 to 24 reported high levels of trauma. A quarter of those who experienced such levels of trauma had attempted suicide in the last year.
Nearly half, or 44%, of transgender and nonbinary young people reported high levels of trauma, compared to cisgender LGBTQ youth.
Dr. Myeshia Price, senior research scientist at The Trevor Project, told Medical News Today:
“As the very existence of LGBTQ youth continues being debated publicly and regularly — both by lawmakers and across media — it’s imperative we highlight the impacts that trauma-inducing experiences such as discrimination, harassment, and violence can have on the mental health of LGBTQ young people.”
Taking the pulse of LGBTQ youth
Between September and December 2021, 33,993 young LGBTQ people, 13-24 years old and residing in the USA, participated in the Trevor Project’s 2022 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health.
Participants were asked to rate the following four statements as “never, rarely, sometimes, or often”:
“Due to experiences in my life, I often feel on guard or easily scared, especially around certain people or places.” “Due to experiences in my life, I often have nightmares or think about things when I do not want to.”
“Due to experiences in my life, I often feel afraid as if something awful might happen.”“Due to experiences in my life, I feel the world is an unsafe place.”
The Center for Disease Control’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey Surveillance SystemTrusted Source provided the basis for additional questions regarding suicide attempts and thoughts.
