In the year 2009, for some, homosexuality is still a psychiatric disorder. In reality, The American Psychiatric Association removed homosexuality from its official Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) in 1973. This decision occurred in the context of momentous cultural changes brought on by the social protest movements of the 1960s and 1970s, beginning with the civil rights movement, and evolving on to the women's and gay rights movements.

But that doesn't mean that people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, trangender, and intersexual don't have mental health concerns.

Most research authors agree that gays and lesbians have a higher prevalence of depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and PTSD. They also have higher rates of experiencing violence, including hate crimes and domestic abuse (Dean 2000).

And according to the LGBT Issues Committee of the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry, gay men have higher rates of tobacco use than the general population. Lesbian and bisexual women also have higher rates of tobacco use, perhaps even higher than gay men.  Studies of the rates of substance use have been inconsistent and of questionable validity. There is some agreement that rates of use of alcohol and illicit drugs are higher in lesbians and gay men.

We are just beginning to add content to our GLBT Community, so we hope you'll come back often.

If you're looking for an online GLBT support group, we hope you'll join the HealthyPlace.com GLBT Support Network (our social network). Many times, connecting with others who have faced similar problems can be a great help as well as a source of comfort.