Mental health findings for LGBTQ+ Australians

This article presents selected indicators of the mental health and wellbeing of LGBTQ+ Australians.

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Released
27/02/2024
Source
National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing, 2020-2022

Introduction

Mental health is a key component of overall health and wellbeing. It underpins our individual and collective abilities to make decisions, build relationships and shape the world we live in.¹

Community connectedness and positive relationships can act as protective factors creating a sense of belonging and affirming identify and value for LGBTQ+ people.² At the same time, people in LGBTQ+ communities often experience stigma, discrimination, bullying, violence and exclusion. As a result, a higher number of people in LGBTQ+ communities experience poorer social, emotional and psychological wellbeing and mental health.³ This may lead to issues with work, relationships, finances, housing and other elements of life.⁴ 

The ABS recognises people who have a lived experience of mental health concerns and that having - or not having - mental health concerns does not define a person. We acknowledge their unique experiences, and those of carers, families and supporters of people living with mental health concerns.

This article presents selected data on mental health for LGBTQ+ Australians from the 2020-2022 National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing. The Study provides information on a range of mental health-related topics such as prevalence of mental disorders, service use for mental health and psychological distress.

In this article we use concepts and terminology from the ABS 2020 Standard for Sex, Gender, Variations of Sex Characteristics and Sexual Orientation Variables. The National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing collected data using all variables in the Standard. However, it is not possible to produce reliable data from the Study on mental health for people born with variations of sex characteristics (sometimes referred to as intersex) or for people who reported their sex at birth as another term.

We acknowledge that just as there are variations of the acronym LGBTQ+, there are also differences between the individuals it represents. In this article we use the acronym LGB+ to represent people who described their sexual orientation as gay or lesbian, bisexual, or who used a different term (such as asexual, pansexual or queer).

Readers should note measures of error associated with the results presented in this article. Margins of Error in graphs illustrate the likely range within which a particular proportion lies.

The ABS uses, and supports the use of, the Mindframe guidelines on responsible, accurate and safe reporting on suicide, mental health concerns and alcohol and other drugs. The ABS recommends referring to these guidelines when reporting on statistics in this article.

Some of the statistics in this report may cause distress. Services you can contact are detailed below and in the Mental health resources section near the end of this article.

Support Services

Lifeline: 13 11 14, 24 hours, 7 days

QLife: 1800 084 527, 3pm to midnight, 7 days

Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467, 24 hours, 7 days

Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636, 24 hours, 7 days

13YARN: 13 92 76, 24 hours, 7 days 

Selected measures of mental health for LGBTQ+ populations

LGB+ people

Prevalence of mental disorders

In general, LGB+ people were more likely to experience a mental disorder than heterosexual people. 

Of all LGB+ people, three in four (74.5%) had experienced a mental disorder at some time in their life (compared with 41.7% of heterosexual people), including:

  • 63.5% of gay or lesbian people
  • 80.1% of bisexual people
  • 93.1% of people who used a different term to describe their sexual orientation.

Of all LGB+ people, nearly three in five (58.7%) had a 12-month mental disorder (compared with 19.9% of heterosexual people), including:

  • 42.8% of gay or lesbian people
  • 64.4% of bisexual people.
  1. Different terms that people may use to describe their sexual orientation include asexual, pansexual and queer.

Service use

The proportion of LGB+ people who saw a health professional for their mental health was noticeably higher than that of heterosexual people.

Almost half of all LGB+ people (46.8%) saw a health professional for their mental health in the last 12 months (compared with 16.0% of heterosexual people), including:

  • More than one in three gay or lesbian people (35.0%)
  • More than one in two bisexual people (53.0%).

For both LGB+ and heterosexual people, younger people were more likely to use health services than older people. Over half (54.6%) of LGB+ people aged 16-34 years saw a health professional for their mental health in the 12 months prior to interview, compared with 35.3% of LGB+ people aged 35-64 years.

Additionally, for both LGB+ and heterosexual people, those with a 12-month mental disorder were more likely to use health services than people who did not have a 12-month mental disorder. Around six in ten (60.5%) LGB+ people with a 12-month mental disorder saw a health professional for their mental health in the 12 months prior to interview, while around four in ten (42.7%) heterosexual people with a 12-month mental disorder had done so.

  1. Estimate for LGB+ people aged 65-85 years has a relative standard error greater than 50% and is considered too unreliable for general use. The proportion has been suppressed.

Other selected measures

Almost half of all LGB+ people (43.9%) had high or very high levels of psychological distress, compared with just over one in seven heterosexual people (15.4%). The LGB+ rate includes more than one in four gay or lesbian people (28.6%) and more than one in two bisexual people (51.5%) who had high or very high levels of psychological distress.

Almost half of all LGB+ people (47.8%) had seriously thought about taking their own life at some point in their lifetime, compared with just over one in seven heterosexual people (15.3%). The LGB+ rate includes around one in three gay or lesbian people (35.6%) and more than one in two bisexual people (54.1%) who had seriously thought about taking their own life at some point in their lifetime.  

  1. Different terms that people may use to describe their sexual orientation include asexual, pansexual and queer.

More than two in five of all LGB+ people (41.2%) had self-harmed in their lifetime, compared with 7.4% of heterosexual people. The LGB+ rate includes 27.1% of gay or lesbian people and 47.5% of bisexual people who had self-harmed in their lifetime.

  1. Different terms that people may use to describe their sexual orientation include asexual, pansexual and queer.

Support Services

Lifeline: 13 11 14, 24 hours, 7 days

QLife: 1800 084 527, 3pm to midnight, 7 days

Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467, 24 hours, 7 days

Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636, 24 hours, 7 days

13YARN: 13 92 76, 24 hours, 7 days

Many LGB+ people use self-management strategies for their mental health, such as seeking support from family or friends (46.2%) and practising positive thinking and setting achievable goals (45.8%). Overall, more than four in five LGB+ people (85.1%) used at least one strategy for their mental health in the last 12 months, compared with over three in five (61.7%) heterosexual people.

Non-binary people

Prevalence of mental disorders

The proportion of non-binary people who had experienced a mental disorder at some time in their life was double the rate of both men and women, while the proportion of non-binary people with a 12-month mental disorder was more than three times the rate of either men or women.

  • Of all non-binary people, more than four in five (85.2%) had experienced a mental disorder at some time in their life, compared with two in five of all men and all women (42.1% and 43.4%)
  • Similarly, four in five (80.4%) non-binary people had a 12-month mental disorder, compared with around one in five of all men and one in four of all women (18.3% and 24.3%).

Service use

The proportion of non-binary people who saw a health professional for their mental health in the last 12 months (70.4%) was more than three times that of men and women (12.9% and 21.3%).

Other selected measures

Across other measures, non-binary people had significantly higher rates than the rest of the Australian population.

Four in five non-binary people (79.6%) had seriously thought about taking their own life at some point in their lifetime, while one in seven men (14.9%) and just over one in six women (18.0%) had seriously thought about taking their own life at some point in their lifetime.

Almost three in four non-binary people (72.8%) had self-harmed in their lifetime compared with 6.7% of men and 10.3% of women.

Trans and gender diverse (trans) people

Prevalence of mental disorders

Trans and gender diverse (trans) people and cisgender (cis) people aged 16–85 years had similar rates of experiencing a mental disorder at some time in their life (43.9% and 42.9%), while trans people had higher rates of 12-month mental disorders than cis people (33.1% compared with 21.3%).

However, compared with young cis people, young trans people were more likely to experience a mental disorder at some time in their life and 12-month mental disorders. Seven in ten (70.6%) trans people aged 16-34 years had experienced a mental disorder at some time in their life, compared with almost one in two (48.1%) cis people of the same age. The proportion of trans people aged 16-34 years with a 12-month mental disorder was almost twice that of cis people of the same age (58.8% compared with 31.1%).

Service use

More than one in four trans people (28.7%) saw a health professional for their mental health in the last 12 months compared with one in six cis people (17.2%).

Other selected measures

Across a range of other measures, trans people generally had higher rates than cis people, more noticeably those in younger age groups:

  • More than one in four trans people (26.3%) had high or very high levels of psychological distress while one in six cis people (16.5%) had high or very high levels of psychological distress
  • Almost half of trans people aged 16–34 years (46.6%) had high or very high levels of psychological distress. This was more than double the rate of cis people of the same age (20.5%).

More than one in four trans people aged 16–85 years (28.5%) had seriously thought about taking their own life at some point in their lifetime, compared with one in six cis people (16.5%).

Close to one in five trans people (19.6%) had self-harmed in their lifetime, compared with one in twelve cis people (8.5%).

Almost two in five trans people aged 16–34 years (39.5%) had self-harmed in their lifetime, more than double the rate of cis people of the same age (16.8%).

The Study found that many trans people used self-management strategies for their mental health. Almost two in three trans people (64.3%) used at least one strategy for their mental health, including 35.7% who increased their level of physical activity and 32.8% who did more of the things they enjoy.

Peer review

This article has been peer-reviewed by:

  • Mindframe, an Everymind program, represented by:
    • Dr Elizabeth Paton, Project Lead
    • Amelia Chooi, Senior Project Officer
  • LGBTIQ+ Health Australia, represented by:
    • Nicky Bath, Chief Executive Officer
    • James Zanotto, Policy, Research and Communications Director
    • Ian Down, Policy and Research Lead
  • Professor Adam Bourne, Director, Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University
  • Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care, represented by:
    • Dr Helen Benassi, Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Division.

The ABS greatly values the knowledge, expertise and contributions of these reviewers and thanks them for their time and input.

Glossary

Show all

Sexual orientation

Sexual orientation is an umbrella concept that encapsulates:

  • sexual identity (how a person thinks of their sexuality and the terms they identify with)
  • attraction (romantic or sexual interest in another person)
  • behaviour (sexual behaviour). 

Responses to a sexual orientation question are a subjective view of oneself and can change over the course of a person's lifetime and in different contexts. An individual could respond differently to questions on either sexual identity, attraction or behaviour.

This question is designed to collect data on self-perceived sexual identity, which is how a person thinks of their sexuality and the terms they identify with, and a person's romantic or sexual attraction to others. The question was not designed for specific or detailed studies of sexual behaviour.

Gender

Gender is a social and cultural concept. It is about social and cultural differences in identity, expression and experience as a man, woman or non-binary person. Non-binary is an umbrella term describing gender identities that are not exclusively male or female.

In statistical collections, gender may be reported in terms of a person's felt or lived gender, as well as how that person is perceived by others, depending on whether information on gender is based on self-reported data or done by proxy.

Gender experience

Gender experience describes a person’s alignment with the sex recorded for them at birth i.e., a cisgender (cis) experience or a trans and gender diverse (trans) experience. The term cis describes persons whose gender is the same as their sex recorded at birth (male or female). The term trans describes persons whose gender is different to their sex recorded at birth.  

Sex

A person's sex is based upon their sex characteristics, such as their chromosomes, hormones and reproductive organs. While typically based upon the sex characteristics observed and recorded at birth or infancy, a person's reported sex can change over the course of their lifetime and may differ from their sex recorded at birth.

Sex recorded at birth refers to what was determined by sex characteristics observed at birth or infancy. This is an important indicator for statistical analysis in births and deaths, health statistics, calculating fertility rates and deriving counts for cis and trans populations.

A small number of people do not have a sex of male or female recorded at birth or infancy. 'Another term' is the third response option for the sex at birth question.

Variations of sex characteristics

Variations of sex characteristics refers to people with innate genetic, hormonal or physical sex characteristics that do not conform to medical norms for female or male bodies. It refers to a wide spectrum of variations to genitals, hormones, chromosomes and/or reproductive organs.

Other umbrella terms used to describe being born with variations of sex characteristics are intersex or Differences/Disorders of Sex Development (DSD).

Lifetime mental disorder

People who have experienced a mental disorder at some time in their life refers to people who have met the diagnostic criteria for having a mental disorder at some time in their life. This does not imply that a person has had a mental disorder throughout their entire life.

In the National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing three groups of mental disorders were assessed – Anxiety, Affective and Substance Use disorders – based on definitions and criteria of the World Health Organization International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10).

The term mental disorder is used in this article to align with these definitions and criteria.

12-month mental disorder

12-month mental disorders refers to the number of people who met the diagnostic criteria for having a mental disorder at some time in their life and had sufficient symptoms of that disorder in the 12 months prior to when they completed the survey.

In the National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing three groups of mental disorders were assessed – Anxiety, Affective and Substance Use disorders – based on definitions and criteria of the World Health Organization International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10).

The term mental disorder is used in this article to align with these definitions and criteria.

Psychological distress

The Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10) is a widely used indicator, which gives a simple measure of psychological distress. It is not a diagnostic tool but is an indicator of psychological distress.

The K10 is based on a person's emotional state during the 4 weeks prior to the survey interview. People were asked a series of 10 questions, about how often they felt:
•    tired for no good reason
•    nervous
•    so nervous nothing could calm them down
•    hopeless
•    restless or fidgety
•    so restless that they could not sit still
•    depressed
•    that everything was an effort
•    so sad that nothing could cheer them up; and
•    worthless.

For each question, an answer was provided using a five-level response scale, based on the amount of time a person reported experiencing the problem. The response scale corresponded to the following:
•    none of the time
•    a little of the time
•    some of the time
•    most of the time
•    all of the time.

Scores were collated; low scores indicated low levels of psychological distress, and high scores indicated high levels of psychological distress.

Self-harm

Self-harm refers to a person intentionally causing pain or damage to their own body. This behaviour may be motivated as a way of expressing or controlling distressing feelings or thoughts. Self-harm and suicide are distinct and separate acts although some people who self-harm are at an increased risk of suicide.

Mental health resources

OrganisationAboutTelephone numberWebsite
LifelineProvide access to crisis support and suicide prevention services. 24hr online chat and self-support resources.

13 11 14 

SMS 0477 13 11 14

(Both 24 hours, 7 days)

lifeline.org.au
QLifeQLife provide Australia wide, anonymous and free LGBTIQA+ peer support and referral for people wanting to talk about a range of issues including sexuality, identity, gender, bodies, feelings or relationships.1800 184 527 (3pm to midnight, 7 days)qlife.org.au
Suicide Call Back ServiceProvides immediate telephone counselling and support in a crisis.1300 659 467 (24 hours, 7 days)suicidecallbackservice.org.au
Beyond BlueSupporting people affected by anxiety, depression and suicide.1300 224 636 (24 hours, 7 days)beyondblue.org.au
HeadspaceOnline and telephone counselling service supporting young people aged 12 to 25 and their families who need help with mental health, physical health (including sexual health), alcohol and other drugs, or work and study support.1800 650 890 (9am to 1am AEST/AEDT, 7 days)headspace.org.au
Kids HelplineTelephone and online counselling service for young people aged 5 to 25.1800 551 800 (24 hours, 7 days)kidshelpline.com.au
ACONNSW’s leading health organisation specialising in community health, inclusion and HIV responses for people of diverse sexualities and genders. acon.org.au
ACON's Suicide prevention and aftercare serviceThis service is for people who have recently made a suicide attempt or at high risk of suicide. Non-judgmental short term care coordination and peer work support for sexuality and gender diverse people aged over 18 years of age.(02) 9206 2000 (Business hours)intake@acon.org.au
InterLinkProvide mental health and wellbeing services to people with innate variations of sex characteristics and their family members located anywhere in Australia. They provide one-on-one and group counselling services for intersex people of any age and parents, carers or guardians of young people with an intersex variation.(07) 3017 1724 (Business hours)ilink.net.au
TransHubA digital information and resource platform for all trans and gender diverse people in NSW, their loved ones, allies and health providers. transhub.org.au
Head to HealthProvide free mental health information, services and supports online, via phone or in person at a Head to Health centre.1800 595 212 (Mon to Fri 8:30am to 5pm)headtohealth.gov.au
Support After SuicideProvide a range of services and programs to support people who have been bereaved by suicide. Supply education and training across metropolitan and rural New South Wales and Victoria.1800 943 415 (Mon to Fri 9am to 5pm)supportaftersuicide.org.au
Support after Suicide Hub (SASH)Provide information, resources, and an online community forum for LGBTIQA+ people bereaved by suicide aged 18+ to connect with each other. 1800 943 415 (Mon to Fri 8:30am to 5pm)https://forum.sash.org.au/login
SwitchboardProvide peer driven support and referral services for Victorian LGBTIQA+ people of all ages and identities, including suicide prevention and mental health and wellbeing support. switchboard.org.au

Rainbow door

(run by Switchboard)

Free for all Victorian LGBTIQA+ people, their friends and families. Support people of all ages and identities on issues including suicidal thoughts, family and intimate partner violence (including elder abuse), issues with alcohol and other drugs, relationship issues, sexual assault, social isolation, mental health and wellbeing and access to relevant services including disability and support for older people.

1800 729 367 

SMS 0480 017 246

(Both 10am to 5pm, 7 days)

rainbowdoor.org.au

Email support@rainbowdoor.org.au

PFLAGParents and Friends of Lesbian and Gays. Peer support group for parents, friends, and allies of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual and intersex people, with branches across Australia. pflagaustralia.org.au
ReachOutOnline mental health service for under-25s and their parents. au.reachout.com
ButterflyPhone, webchat and email support for those experiencing an eating disorder or body image issues, their friends, family, carers and professionals. Also factsheets and other resources.1800 334 673 (8am to midnight AEST/AEDT, 7 days excluding national public holidays)butterfly.org.au
13YARNAboriginal & Torres Strait Islander crisis support line for people feeling overwhelmed or having difficulty coping.13 92 76 (24 hours, 7 days)13yarn.org.au

Endnotes

  1. World Health Organization, 'Mental Health', accessed 23 February 2024.
  2. LGBTIQ+ Health Australia, 'National LGBTIQ+ Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Strategy 2021-2026', accessed 23 February 2024.
  3. Head to Health, 'Support for LGBTIQA+ People', accessed 19 February 2024.
  4. Healthdirect, 'LGBTIQ+ Mental Health', accessed 19 February 2024.

Methodology

The full methodology of the National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing, 2020–2022 can be found here:

National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing methodology.