National Suicide Hotline: 1-800-273-8255

LGBTQ+ Mental Health and Suicide Risk

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LGBTQ+ youth face significantly higher risks of suicidal thoughts and attempts compared to their heterosexual peers:

• LGBTQ youth are more than twice as likely to feel suicidal and over four times as likely to attempt suicide (Kann 2016).

• Bisexual teens may be especially vulnerable (Marshal 2011).

• Transgender youth: One-third have seriously considered suicide, and 20% have made an attempt (Reisner 2015). Denial of gender-appropriate restroom access increases suicide risk by 45% (Seelman 2016).

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LGBTQ+ adults also experience disproportionate mental health challenges:

• 1 in 3 LGBQ adults reported mental illness in 2015, compared to 1 in 5 heterosexual adults (Medley 2016).

• 40% of transgender adults experienced serious psychological distress in the month before the U.S. Transgender Survey, compared to 5% of the general U.S. population (James 2016).

Substance Use and Mental Health in LGBTQ+ Adults

• 13% of LGBQ adults with mental illness have serious mental health issues that interfere with daily life, compared to 4% of heterosexual adults (Medley 2016).

• 15% of LGBQ adults had an alcohol or drug use disorder in the past year, nearly double the rate of heterosexual adults (Medley 2016).

• 40% of transgender adults have attempted suicide during their lifetime (James 2016).

The Situation in Montana

Montana has consistently ranked among the highest in suicide rates for the past 40 years. LGBTQ+ youth in Montana and beyond face significant challenges due to stigma and discrimination:

• Transgender youth are nearly four times more likely to experience depression compared to their non-transgender peers (Reisner 2015).

• LGBTQ teens report higher rates of depression than their heterosexual peers (Marshal 2011).

  • 28% of LGBTQ youth, including 40% of transgender youth, reported feeling depressed most or all of the time in the past 30 days, compared to 12% of non-LGBTQ youth (HRC Foundation 2017).

  • 60% of LGBQ youth reported feeling so sad or hopeless that they stopped engaging in normal activities (CDC 2015).