The LGBTQ Community is Speaking Up About Mental Health. It’s Time We Listen.

Effects of the fear and isolation that accompanied the COVID-19 pandemic continue to linger. Recent CVS Health data indicates a nine-point percentage increase in Americans who report experiencing concerns about their mental health or that of family and friends since April 2020. Now, as the pandemic converges with other external stressors, Americans’ mental health continues to be negatively impacted. ?

While all Americans are facing record levels of stress, it is important to acknowledge how different communities are affected by mental health challenges in unique ways. Notably, the LGBTQ community continues to experience mental health issues at higher rates than other populations. In a recent CVS Health/Morning Consult survey, 57 percent of those who identify as LGBTQ expressed concerns about their mental health, 20 percentage points higher than adults overall. ?

Mental health concerns among the LGBTQ community are especially troubling when considering the discrimination LGBTQ Americans often face. Because of this, being vulnerable with a mental health professional can be even more challenging for some, and discrimination can add to feelings of discomfort. Unfortunately, there are also fewer mental health services designed to address the unique needs and social determinants of health of the LGBTQ community. ?

Removing Barriers to Access?

A 2022 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health conducted by The Trevor Project found that LGBTQ youth are six times as likely to experience symptoms of depression and four times more likely to attempt suicide than their peers. However, there is hope that we can work together to reverse this trend: the same study found that LGBTQ youth who live in a community accepting of LGBTQ people reported significantly lower rates of attempting suicide than those who do not.?

Community is comprised of supportive family, friends, teachers and colleagues. Community also includes mental health professionals equipped to help LGBTQ individuals as they navigate their personal lives and a world in flux that is not always as accepting as it should be.?

Thankfully, there are a number of programs, tools and resources available to members of the LGBTQ community, their friends, family and loved ones, should they be in need. For example, this year, we began leading Talk Saves Lives: An Introduction to Suicide Prevention in the LGBTQ Community for colleagues and communities, which is an informational course developed by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) that gives participants an essential and lifesaving understanding of suicide risk and its unique considerations in LGBTQ communities.??

Many health plans can also help LGBTQ individuals at all points on the mental health continuum find support groups and other social connections quickly and easily. Programs like Resources for Living can connect members with immediate counseling, educational resources, and other options for mental health services. And locally, CVS Health offers mental health counseling with licensed therapist clinicians at MinuteClinic? locations inside select CVS HealthHUB? stores. We also help connect members with specialized services, such as Center Link’s Q Chat Space, which provides live, chat-based, professionally facilitated online support and discussion groups for LGBTQ teens ages 13 to 19, as well as resources available through The Trevor Project.???

Celebrate and Support the LGBTQ Community?

We all face mental health challenges, but in these trying times, we must not forget to acknowledge that some communities have a more difficult time getting the care they need. It is crucial that we all have community support, complete with access to mental health services. Heightened awareness of mental health issues impacting LGBTQ individuals and easier access to care is a step toward much-needed progress.?

This June, we honor, celebrate and stand with the LGBTQ community. We’re highlighting how LGBTQ individuals can access services like Talk Saves Lives and Resources for Living, as well as CVS Health’s PRIDE+ Colleague Resource Group (CRG), a colleague-led organization that helps strengthen our allyship with the LGBTQ community. Programs such as these further our mission of bringing our heart to every moment of your health. Now and always, we stress our unwavering commitment to tackling barriers to mental health care for this and all the communities we serve. ?