LGBTQ Mental Health Statistics: Disparities And The Need For Inclusive Health Care

When looking at statistics about mental health in the LGBTQ+ community, it's easy to see that certain stark disparities exist. Here, we'll share some recent figures about mental health among queer people, explore reasons for these health disparities, and share ways that individuals in this community can receive inclusive mental health support. 

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Who is included in the LGBTQ+ community?

LGBTQ+ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning. The letters “IA” are often added at the end to include intersex and asexual people in the acronym. A “+” is also often placed after the letters to denote the expansive nature of this community, as it contains many more identities than can be listed in one acronym. Two Spirit, non-binary, genderqueer, genderfluid, pansexual, asexual, and aromantic, are just some examples of identities that belong to the queer community too.

Factors that may affect the mental health of queer people

Thanks to the decades-long LGBTQ+ rights movement and the increasing availability of inclusive information via the internet, many people have become more aware of and accepting of queer identities. That said, LGBTQ+ people of all identities still tend to face significant challenges due to who they are. For example, discrimination, social exclusion, bullying, verbal abuse, and physical violence against queer people are still common, as are systemic barriers like obstacles to receiving quality healthcare. As a result, individuals who identify as LGBTQ+ are at greater risk of experiencing mental health challenges than the non-queer population. 

The concept of intersectionality

It's also important to note that LGBTQ+ people who also hold additional marginalized identities  may experience multiple, overlapping, and compounding forms of discrimination. This concept is referred to as intersectionality.

For example, a queer individual who is also a person of color and/or disabled may experience unique forms of oppression at the intersection of these multiple identities. As a result, they may be even more likely to experience mental health challenges. 

Key LGBTQ mental health statistics

The National Alliance on Mental Illness shares a variety of statistics about the state of mental health in the queer community today. Some of these include: 

• Queer adults are more than twice as likely as non-queer adults to experience a mental health condition, with transgender adults more than four times as likely.
• LGBTQ+ individuals are one of the groups most targeted by hate crimes today in the United States.
• LGBTQ+ adults are twice as likely as non-queer adults to turn to substance use (formerly “substance abuse”) as a coping mechanism for their lived experiences and to develop a substance use disorder, with transgender adults four times as likely.
• As many as 40% of transgender individuals have attempted suicide in their lifetime, which is true of 5% of adults overall.

Unique challenges a person may experience based on gender identity

As the statistics above suggest, LGBTQ+ individuals who are not cisgender (meaning they identify with the gender they were assigned at birth) are at higher risk of mental health challenges. These include transgender individuals (those who do not identify with the gender they were assigned at birth) as well as other gender non-conforming (GNC) people, who may identify as genderqueer, agender, genderfluid, non-binary, or another identity. 

This is likely because of the unique barriers and forms of discrimination that gender-diverse people tend to face in today's world. The statistics below shed light on some of these. 

LGBTQ mental health statistics based on gender identity

The following are a few statistics that illustrate just some of the barriers and mental health effects that trans and gender-diverse people tend to experience in today's world:

• Over 80% of trans adults have thought about suicide, more than 40% have attempted, and 56% have engaged in non-suicidal self-injury at some point.
• Approximately 70% of transgender adults have experienced discrimination in a healthcare setting, and 27% have been refused the care that they needed.
• A report from the US Trans Survey suggests that, as of 2022, 34% of trans respondents are experiencing poverty, 18% are unemployed, and more than one in 10 report having been fired, laid off, or forced to resign because of their gender identity or expression.
• As of June 2025 in the US, 923 bills have been introduced which aim to strip the rights of transgender and GNC people, from those designed to prohibit a person’s ability to receive gender-affirming healthcare to those designed to prevent trans elementary and high school students from using their preferred name and pronouns in school.

Mental health among today’s LGBTQ youth

Young people are another subset of the LGBTQ+ population that are at higher risk of mental health challenges, with trans and GNC youth and queer youth of color at particular risk. Consider the following statistics from the Trevor Project’s 2024 survey on the mental health of queer young people:

• Almost 40% of LGBTQ youth and 46% of trans and non-binary youth specifically have seriously considered suicide over the past 12 months, with rates higher for queer youth of color than their white peers.
• Trans and GNC youth who report that their school is gender-affirming (54%) have lower rates of siucide. “suicide”
• LGBTQ+ youth who report living in “very accepting” communities (16%) attempt suicide at nearly half the rate of those who do not.
• Almost all queer youth (90%) say their mental health has been impacted due to recent politics.

Bullying and family rejection among LGBTQ youth

Two unique factors that tend to uniquely impact the mental health of queer young people are school bullying and family rejection. For example, consider that:

• Almost half (49%) of queer youth report experiencing bullying at school (e.g., being verbally abused, cyberbullied, sexually harassed, physically threatened or abused, etc.), according to the same Trevor Project report cited above.

• Queer youth who experience bullying are three times as likely to engage in attempting suicide compared to those who are not bullied, according to the same Trevor Project report.

• Almost a third (28%) of LGBTQ+ youth report having experienced homelessness or housing instability at some point, with this number much higher for Native/Indigenous youth (44%) and transgender girls and young women (38%).

• Half (49.5%) of trans and GNC youth report that their families never use their correct pronouns at home, and two thirds (65.5%) of these young people screened positive for depression.

• More than half (almost 60%) of queer youth report at least one “negative/rejecting experience” from a parent or caregiver based on their LGBTQ+ identity, with over 36% of these having been specifically “taunted or mocked” for being LGBTQ+.

Barriers the queer community faces to receiving mental health care

People who hold LGBTQ+ identities tend to face significant barriers to receiving affirming and affordable mental health care—or mental health services at all. Discrimination in healthcare is common, and the associated economic barriers many queer people—particularly those with intersecting identities—face can also reduce availability of care.

A few statistics on the topic include:

• One in eight LGBTQ+ people have experienced some form of discrimination in healthcare because of their identity, with 70% of trans people having experienced transphobia in healthcare.
• Trans people of color experienced transphobia in healthcare settings nearly twice as often as white trans people.
• Among LGBTQ+ adults of color, 28% are uninsured compared to 8% of the overall population.
• According to the same Trevor Project report cited above, half of LGBTQ+ young people report wanting mental health care but not being able to receive it.

What is queer-affirming mental health care?

Queer-inclusive or queer-friendly mental health care are general terms that refer to care provided by a professional who is personally accepting of queer identities—as opposed to someone who might judge, reject, or even try to change a person’s identity. Queer-affirming mental health care is a specific approach that typically requires training and can be applied to any evidence-based therapeutic method. 

According to one academic paper on the topic, queer-affirming care involves specific training so that the provider is aware of heteronormative privileges and power dynamics and the long history of harm to queer people in the healthcare system. It also involves them normalizing and affirming each clients' identity, being aware of the challenges LGBTQ+ people face in today's world, and seeing the client’s experiences from the client's point of view. A queer-affirming provider may or may not be queer themselves. 

Finding queer-affirming mental health care near you

Research suggests that mental health care that’s affirming and tailored to the unique needs of LGBTQ+ individuals can be more effective for this population—even life-saving. If you're looking for a queer-affirming mental health care provider in your area, some resources for finding one could include:

• Online directories like the National Queer and Trans Therapist of Color Network or others
• Your local queer community center or clinic, which may be able to provide a referral
• LGBTQ+ people you know in your area, who may be able to share how they found their therapist 
• The provider directory from your insurance company (if applicable), which you may be able to search through for any providers who mention experience or expertise working with the LGBTQ+ community 

Considerations when looking for an affirming therapist

Keep in mind that many queer-affirming therapists today offer sliding-scale fee structures, which can make therapy more affordable for those who face financial barriers to care. Also, in your first session or initial consultation with a prospective therapist, it may be helpful to come with a prepared list of questions that may help you determine whether their approach and experience align with your needs. 

If you don't feel comfortable or don't feel like it's the right match, keep in mind that it's normal and common to switch therapists a few times until you find a fit. If you experience any harmful treatment from a mental health professional, know that you can report it. 

Options for immediate support

Various hotlines are available specifically to provide immediate support to LGBTQ+ individuals, such as:

• LGBT National ​Hotlines: Call 888-843-4564 (with three additional hotlines available on their website specifically for coming out, queer youth, and queer seniors, respectively)
• Trans Lifeline: Call 1-877-565-8860
• The Trevor Project 24/7 Youth Suicide Prevention hotline: Call 1-866-488-7386 or text START to 678-678
• National Domestic Violence Hotline: Call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Call 988
• Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741

Online therapy for LGBTQ+ people

Another option for individuals seeking queer-inclusvie or queer-affirming mental health care is to explore an online therapy platform. With a service like BetterHelp, you can outline your needs and preferences in a therapist in a brief onboarding questionnaire, and you'll be matched with a license provider accordingly. You can then meet with them virtually from anywhere you have an internet connection, which can be helpful for those who have few providers in their area or don't feel comfortable meeting with a therapist face-to-face. BetterHelp also allows you to switch therapists at any time, for any reason, and for no additional cost. This can make it easier to find a provider who feels like the right fit for you. 

Inclusive mental health care is available

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What the research says about online affirming therapy

Finally, research suggests that online therapy in general can often be as effective as in-person therapy for treating mental health conditions and other mental health concerns. Research also suggests that online therapy can be an effective format for delivering queer-affirming therapy in particular.