LGBTQ+ Mental Health: Coping with Loneliness and Finding Connection

Lora Ferguson
Jul 24
2 min read

💚🌈 You are not alone.

…but it is easy to feel isolated in today’s world. With our busy lives and the demands we have put on us every day, feeling alone is a very real and common experience for many people. 🌎 Loneliness affects 1 in 6 people worldwide (according to the World Health Organization).

💭 As a society, we were already experiencing higher rates of feeling lonely before Covid-19, and those rates have only increased since then. Several factors currently influence how we experience isolation, such as societal changes, increased use of social media as our way to connect to others, and how little time and energy we have for socializing after we meet our basic daily demands.

🧠 The Connection Between Loneliness and LGBTQ+ Mental Health

Loneliness and mental health concerns go hand in hand. Loneliness can increase the possibility of mental health concerns and vice versa; it can be a vicious cycle. Given that research shows that LGBTQIA+ individuals are twice as likely to experience mental health concerns (National Alliance on Mental Illness), it stands to reason that the queer community may be experiencing higher rates of loneliness as well.

🌱 And these trends don’t just affect adults. Children and teens are showing increased rates of mental health concerns, especially for LGBTQIA+ youth who experience mental health concerns at a rate twice the rate of their cisgender, heterosexual peers.

It makes sense, given that many individuals in the LGBTQIA+ community experience increased rates of discrimination and prejudice along with rejection from a number of sources, such as family and friends, and peers. It’s easy to find hate towards queer people circulated online, and discrimination is embedded in our society.

💚 Ways to Reduce Loneliness and Strengthen Connection

All of this adds up to increased mental health concerns and higher health risks for the LGBTQIA+ community. So what can we do to help counteract this trend?

🤝 Increase social connection, whether in-person or virtually.

Find groups that you share common interests with and develop connections. That could look like:

🎲 Playing board games with friends
💻 Joining an online community
🏳️‍🌈 Meeting up with other LGBTQIA+ individuals to enjoy community

🚩 Know the Signs of Mental Health Concerns

Know the signs of common mental health concerns to be aware of, such as:

🚪 Withdrawing from activities and others
💔 Loss of pleasure in things you normally enjoy
😟 Increased anxious thoughts and feelings
🌙 Sleep or appetite changes
💭 Negative feelings about yourself

🌈 Reach Out for LGBTQ+ Mental Health Support

Reach out to trusted individuals and organizations who can help. These include:

🧠 Mental health professionals
❤️ Chosen family and friends
🤝 Organizations like the Trevor Project, It Gets Better Project, Trans Lifeline, BlackLine, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness Hotline

💚 LGBTQ+ Affirming Therapy at Heartwood Counseling & Wellness

At Heartwood Counseling and Wellness, all of our providers are LGBTQIA+ affirming, and some are also members of the LGBTQIA+ community. We are here for you if you need someone to talk to.

If you're looking for LGBTQ+ affirming mental health, support for anxiety, depression, or loneliness, our team is here to provide a safe, welcoming space where you can be yourself and find the support you deserve.