Research shows that lesbian, gay, bi, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) teens are at increased risk of suicide and mental health issues like depression and anxiety. One of the most startling statistics: LGBTQ teens consider suicide and make suicide attempts at about four times the national rate for all adolescents.
The finding that nonbinary teen Nex Benedict died by suicide, following a bullying incident, sheds light on the critical importance of mental health services and suicide prevention for LGBTQ youth. Parents, teachers, mentors, and policymakers must help ensure that LGBTQ teens receive ongoing support and access to mental healthcare resources.
Key Takeaways
- The rate of attempting suicide among LGBTQ teens is more than four times the rate of suicide attempts among all US teens, due to the societal and relationship challenges that these young people face.
- These challenges include stigma, family rejection, bullying, threats of injury, violence, and increasingly limited access to gender-affirming healthcare.
- Higher rates of depression among the LGBTQ population also lead to higher rates of substance abuse, as a form of self-medication for mental health issues.
- Research has consistently shown that support and acceptance from parents leads to better mental health, greater self-acceptance, and enhanced well-being among LGBTQ youth.
Statistics on Mental Health and Suicide Among LBGTQ Youth
LGBTQ teen suicide rates and LGBTQ mental health statistics reflect the societal and relationship challenges that these young people face. According to research from the Trevor Project, LGBTQ teens are four times more likely to make a suicide attempt.
The Trevor Project’s 2023 survey also asked questions about the mental health of LGBTQ youth and their ability to access care. Here are some of the key findings from the survey and from additional research by the Trevor Project;
- LGBTQ students who reported being bullied had three times greater odds of attempting suicide in the past year
- 70 percent of LGBTQ teens experienced symptoms of anxiety in the past year.
- 57 percent of LGBTQ teens experienced symptoms of depression.
- Among all LGBTQ youth surveyed (ages 13–24), 81 percent wanted mental healthcare in the past year.
- However, 56 percent of those youth were unable to access care.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), LGBTQ teens are six times more likely to experience symptoms of depression than the general population. Research shows that low family satisfaction, cyberbullying victimization, and unmet medical needs contributed to their higher rates of depression, suicidal ideation, and suicidal behavior.
“LGBTQ+ young people are more than four times more likely to die by suicide than their peers—not because there is any predisposition in their identity, but because of the tremendous stressors, rejection, and antagonism that many of them face in society.”
—Peggy Rajski, Founder of The Trevor Project
LGBTQ Suicide Rates vs. International Averages
A review study published in JAMA Pediatrics looked at how many LGBTQ people die by suicide each year and what percentage of transgender people die by suicide. Compiling data from 35 previous studies, the analysis involved close to 2.4 million heterosexual youth and 113,468 LGBTQ youth, ages 12 to 20, from 10 countries. The results included the following LGBTQ teen suicide rates:
- LGBTQ youth were 3.5 times as likely to attempt suicide as their heterosexual peers.
- Rates of attempting suicide among trans teens were 5.87 times higher than the average among all teens.
- Gay and lesbian youth were 3.71 times more likely to attempt suicide.
- Bisexual youth were 3.69 times more likely to attempt suicide than teens who identified as heterosexual.
Why Are LGBTQ Teens Vulnerable to Suicide?
All teenagers are at risk for suicide. But LBGTQ youth suicide rates are higher because their risks are compounded. As The Trevor Project states, “LGBTQ youth are not inherently prone to suicide risk because of their sexual orientation or gender identity but rather placed at higher risk because of how they are mistreated and stigmatized in society.” Most profoundly, they experience rejection or lack of support from their family members much more often than their heterosexual peers. Nonbinary and transgender family rejection statistics are particularly striking: The 2023 survey found that less than 40 percent of transgender and nonbinary youth say they live in a gender-affirming home.
Moreover, stigma and threats of violence from peers and society at large further impact their mental health and well-being. The Trevor Project survey found that LGBTQ youth who experienced anti-LGBTQ victimization, including being physically threats or harm, discrimination, or conversion therapy, reported more than twice the rate of attempting suicide in the past year.
Hence, the feelings of isolation or “otherness” that often accompany adolescence are magnified for LGBTQ teens. These challenges can be particularly overwhelming for younger adolescents. One study of LGBTQ teen suicide rates found that one out of four suicides (24 percent) in adolescents age 12 to 14 were among LGBTQ youth. Researchers found that family problems most often contributed to suicides among younger teens.
What LGBTQ Youth Face in Schools and Society
In addition to difficulty at home, LGBTQ youth often face bullying, threats of injury, and sexual violence. The following data on LGBTQ teenagers comes from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey:
- 10 percent were threatened or injured with a weapon on school property
- 34 percent were bullied on school property
- 28 percent experienced cyberbullying
- 23 percent who had dated someone during the 12 months before the survey had experienced sexual dating violence
- 18 percent students had experienced physical dating violence
- Another 18 percent had been forced to have sexual intercourse at some point in their lives.
As a result, LGBTQ students were 140 percent more likely than their heterosexual peers to skip school at least one day during the 30 days prior to the surveys.
Moreover, over the past year, anti-LGBTQ groups have been attacking the rights of trans youth to receive age-appropriate and medically necessary gender-affirming care, which has a significant negative impact on their mental health. And in a new poll, 3 out of 4 LGBTQ youth say that threats of violence against LGBTQ spaces, like community centers, pride events, drag shows, or hospitals/clinics that serve trans people, often give them stress or anxiety.
Schools and government policies can make a difference for LGBTQ youth. Youth living in states with anti-bullying laws that include sexual orientation and gender identity report less homophobic victimization and harassment. In addition, schools with Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) clubs provide a more supportive environment for LGBTQ youth.
LGBTQ Youth and Substance Abuse
Statistics on substance abuse in LGBTQ youth show that they use alcohol and drugs at higher rates than their straight, cisgender peers. This is not surprising, given that substance abuse is typically a behavioral symptom of underlying depression, trauma, and anxiety. A Trevor Project research brief found that 47 percent of LGBTQ youth under age 21 use alcohol. Moreover, 29 percent of LGBTQ youth use marijuana. And 11 percent report using a prescription drug that was not prescribed to them.
Most significant, higher rates of substance abuse in this population were directly associated with LGBTQ teen suicide rates. Regular prescription drug misuse was associated with nearly three times greater odds of attempting suicide. Regular alcohol use was associated with nearly 50 percent higher likelihood of attempting suicide. And LGBTQ youth under age 21 who regularly used marijuana were nearly twice as likely (1.67 times) to attempt suicide.
What Parents Can Do to Counteract LGBTQ Youth Suicide Rates
Research has consistently shown that support from parents and peers leads to better mental health, greater self-acceptance, and enhanced well-being among LGBTQ youth. According to The Trevor Project, LGBTQ youth who feel high social support from their family attempt suicide at less than half the rate of those who feel low or moderate social support. Additionally, Trevor Project research found that transgender and nonbinary youth who feel their gender identity is accepted by at least one adult are less likely to make a suicide attempt compared to those who do not feel accepted. Here’s how to offer that all-important support.
Communicate often.
Frequent, open conversations about sexual orientation and gender identity allow teens to share their feelings. At this age, their emotions may shift from day to day, and talking with a caring parent can have a stabilizing effect. Parents should listen closely to what their adolescents share. In addition, parents should educate their teens about how to avoid unsafe situations. Read “How to Talk to Teens.”
Respect their process.
The teenage years are a time of immense physical and emotional change and identity formation. Consequently, it can sometimes be easy for parents to write off changes in a teen’s sexual orientation or gender identity as “experiments” or “going through a stage.” It’s vitally important to respect your teen’s experience and feelings and to do your best to use their preferred name as well as gender-affirming pronouns. Trevor Project research shows that transgender and nonbinary youth whose pronouns are respected by the people they live with were 50 percent less likely to attempt suicide as those whose pronouns were not respected.
Work as a team.
Parents and LGBTQ teenagers can work together to navigate any challenges that arise. They can also develop a set of shared goals for their teen, such as staying healthy, doing well in school, and creating a strong support system within and outside the family. This will help teens trust that they are cared for.
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Stay tuned to what’s going on in their life.
Parents of LGBTQ-IA teens need to stay involved, so they learn what their child’s experience at school is like. Moreover, they need to watch for signs of bullying (including cyberbullying) or other discrimination at school. In addition, parents can get to know their teen’s friends and romantic partners. This will help them offer guidance as their adolescent learns to build strong relationships outside the family.
Find resources to support suicide prevention in LGBTQ youth.
Organizations like the The Trevor Project offer resources and support, in person and online, for LGBTQ teenagers and their families. In addition, families can reach out to their doctor, a mental health professional, or a teen treatment center for advice and referrals. Parents need to be on the lookout for any signs of depression, suicidal thoughts, or other mental health concerns. With early assessment and treatment, successful outcomes are likely. Therefore, LGBTQ teen suicide rates will hopefully start to trend downward.
Finally, parents of LGBTQ teens need to remind their children often that they are unconditionally loved, and they will always be there to support them. As with all teenagers, feeling accepted and loved will make a positive impact on their lives, now and into the future.
Culturally Competent and Gender-Responsive Treatment at Newport Academy
We understand the specific challenges that LGBTQ youth navigate as they come of age. Our treatment takes into account the unique needs of LGBTQ+ adolescents and provides them with tools for navigating the world, building self-worth, and forming strong relationships with peers, mentors, and their larger community.
Our clinical experts and care staff have expertise and experience in addressing the mental health challenges that LGBTQ+ youth face. Newport has partnered with the Trevor Project, the nation’s foremost LGBTQ+ advocacy and research organization, to provide specialized training for our staff.
Newport Academy’s Admissions experts and Clinical Outreach Specialists can help parents of LGBTQ teens get the support they need. Contact us today.
Sources
The Trevor Project National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health 2022
CDC Supplements. 2020 Aug; 69(1): 47–55.
J Adolesc Health. 2019 Jan.
JAMA Pediatr. 2018;172(12):1145–1152.
Pediatrics. 2018 May;141(5).
Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health. 2018;12:8.
Annu Rev Clin Psychol. 2016 Mar 28; 12: 465–487.
Journal of GLBT Family Studies. 14(1–2):130–151.