Why do so many gay and bisexual men die om suici?

Contents:

• DEPRSN IS KILLG GAY MEN
• HOW TO COPE WHEN YOU'RE GAY AND LONELY
• THE BT QUEER COMEDI A WORLD OF SAD, GAY FILMS

DEPRSN IS KILLG GAY MEN

It’s well known to the pot of stereotype that gay men experience higher rat of HIV, substance abe, and suici. The 2013 fifth edn of the Amerin Psychiatric Associatn's Diagnostic and Statistil Manual (DSM) f prsn clilly as a prsive mood or loss of tert or pleasure nearly all activi over a two-week perd, along wh four of the symptoms: “chang appete or weight, sleep, and psychomotor activy; creased energy; feelgs of worthlsns or guilt; difficulty thkg, ncentratg, or makg cisns; or recurrent thoughts of ath or suicidal iatn or suici plans or attempts.

HOW TO COPE WHEN YOU'RE GAY AND LONELY

Rearch suggts that prsn gay men often starts early adolcence and ntu to young adulthood. It’s not surprisg to know that homophobia is a major ntributor—or that homophobia-duced prsn n lead to harmful out. A 2009 Pediatrics study found that young gay and lbian people om fai that rejected them were 8.

An Amerin study of gay men found that those who perceived creased homophobia and danger were more likely to report prsive symptoms. Feelg unaccepted and rejected by the gay muny—as do too many gay and bisexual men of lor and those livg wh HIV—were also found to crease the risk for prsn.

A Brish survey of gay men found that 50 percent of those who experienced prsn had ntemplated suici; 24 percent had already attempted to take their own liv.

THE BT QUEER COMEDI A WORLD OF SAD, GAY FILMS

Twenty-seven percent said homophobic bullyg was the ma reason for their prsn. Black gay and bisexual men were twice as likely to be prsed and five tim more likely to have attempted suici than their whe unterparts. As a Canadian study showed, suici among HIV-posive gay and bisexual men has been associated wh a recent experience of HIV stigma such as rejectn, harassment, and physil vlence.

Of urse the ial solutn to crease gay men’s prsn—and s nsequenc for our health—is to foster acceptance and support om fai and the broar society. Health re provirs workg wh gay men should first tablish rapport and tst by displayg empathy and not makg assumptns about an dividual’s behavr and sexual choic based on generalizatns about “all” gay men. The good news for gay men—anyone, really—experiencg prsn is that antiprsant meditn n help pe wh prsn, whether they have HIV or not.

Speakg openly and ankly about the disproportnate impact of prsn on gay men, and prrizg our mental health and well-beg, we n chase that big gray elephant out of the room—and keep om harmg any more of . Part of realizg you're gay, or bi, or trans, or non-bary, or anythg other than cisgenr and heterosexual is acceptg you’re different—and somewhat separated—om the majory. Here he shar his journey to overe the sense of isolatn he felt growg up gay a small U.