Pride London and LGBT Mental Health

This will not be a long post, because I cannot claim to be an expert on issues affecting a community I am not part of.  However, I would like to take a moment to acknowledge London Pride and to wish all who celebrate it a wonderful day.

Pride is a celebration of equality and diversity, but a huge number of people in the LGBTQIA+ community suffer with poor mental health, much of which can be attributed to social factors such as homophobia/transphobia, discrimination, and isolation or rejection from families or peers.  Some recent statistics suggest young people in the LGBTQIA+ community are more than twice as likely to have self-harmed at some point in their lives, and at much higher risk of suicide, with 44% having contemplated this compared to 26% of non-trans, heterosexual people.  This risk increases further if you are from an ethnic minority, or have a physical disability.  Back in 2012, the Trans Mental Health Study also found that a shocking 33% of trans people had attempted suicide more than once in their lifetime.

Living in a heteronormative society can be excluding and rejecting, and leave people feeling alone, defective, or confused, so turning to alcohol, substances, self-harm, or suicide might well feel like the only solution.  As with so many mental health problems, therapy can help the individual cope, but wider societal changes are needed to reduce the likelihood of LGBTQIA+ people struggling to accept themselves and live happy fulfilling lives.

If you or someone you know is struggling with poor mental health and this feels linked to their gender or sexuality, the good news is that (aside from mainstream services, including the NHS) there are services out there to help with just this.

I have pinched a few links from other sites and will post these below; however, today, the day of Pride London, I encourage everyone to appreciate diversity and respect everyone's rights to be who they want to be and love who they want to want to love.

Happy Pride, all!

The Bear xXx


Providing support to the LGBTQIA+ community: https://www.stonewall.org.uk/help-and-advice
Offers a directory of therapists specialising in work with the LGBTQIA+ community: http://www.pinktherapy.com/

Information on issues affecting LGBTQIA+ people: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/guides-to-support-and-services/lgbtq-mental-health/#.W0DcYdJKiUl

For people in London: http://londonfriend.org.uk/get-support/#.W0DeC9JKiUk

For LGBT Muslims: https://imaanlondon.wordpress.com/

Self-Soothing with Smells

And so we have reached "smell", the last of our five senses for self-soothing!  Since smells can be powerfully linked to memories, it is important to think carefully about which fragrances and aromas are soothing for you as an individual, and which can be triggering and remind you of sad or difficult times.  You may choose to use smells that remind you of happy times, good people, or lovely places, or just fragrances you find pleasing.

Here are some more ideas.

Now you have self-soothing ideas for all of the senses you can pick and choose which work best in which situations or for specific moods for you.  You may find the most effective self-soothing activities combine senses, for example, taking a scented bubble bath, or lying on the grass in the park where you can watch the clouds, feel the sun on your skin, and listen to the birds.

What works best for you?

I hope to see you again soon.

The Bear 

xXx

Self-Soothing with Vision

One of the many ways we can make ourselves feel better when things are tough is by looking at or watching something which is either soothing or enjoyable.  For some people, this might be watching the clouds drift by, and for others it might be watching a dance performance or a favourite television show.  There are many ways to self-soothe using vision.

Here are some more ideas.

You can also self-soothe with touch, sounds, taste, and smell.

Why not make a list of the most effective techniques for you?

I hope to see you again soon.

The Bear 

xXx