Tag Archives: LGBT community

Three segments of the LGBT community and suicide

Posted on by

Providing affirming social settings for LGBT elders can help build community, reduce loneliness, and reduce suicide rates. (Photo from the Boston Globe)

Here is the next monthly guest blog from my cousin Brandon Garrick, Masters of Social Work Candidate at North Carolina State University. This blog expands upon his last month’s blog, “Five facts you may not know about suicide, and connection to diversity.” This specific blogs goes into one diversity constituency I work very closely with as a workplace diversity consultant, the LGBTQ (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning) community.

Suicide can be a difficult and sensitive subject to discuss in detail as it is a problematic social issue that affects all members of society. I have done various research and have attended multiple suicide prevention workshops and there is one major target population that is always discussed when it comes to suicide. The L.G.B.T.Q. (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Questioning) community is at higher risks for suicide then their heterosexual counterpart. I will discuss three specific areas of the L.G.B.T.Q community that is at severely higher risks of suicide.

1. Youth. L.G.B.T.Q youth have high risks of suicide and contemplation of suicide according to multiple research studies. According to the Trevor Project, L.G.B. youth seriously contemplate suicide at almost three times the rate of heterosexual youth. In addition L.G.B. youth are almost five times as likely to have attempted suicide compared to heterosexual youth. In a national study, 40% of transgender adults reported having made a suicide attempt,with 92% of these individuals reported having attempted suicide before the age of 25. For more information on this major area that needs focus, link to the Trevor Project.

2. Rural L.G.B.T.Q individuals. Individuals who identify with the L.G.B.T.Q. community who live in rural areas are at higher risks then L.G.B.T.Q. individuals who live in urban areas. There has been ample research explaining why rural L.G.B.T.Q are at higher risks then their city living counterparts. Research shows that there is generally wider acceptance of LGBTQ people in cities, were there is far less social stigma around sexual orientation. More resources need to be focused on this severely under-served population, made complicated by rural areas often being spread out and difficult to reach compared to concentrated city centers.

3. Older L.G.B.T.Q individuals. Isolation and dealing with multiple physical issues have generally put senior citizens at a higher risk for suicide then younger adults. However the gap is significantly increases for senior members of the L.G.B.T.Q. community. I recently attended a presentation by SAGE (an organization supporting LGBT leaders) that explained why suicide is a major issue for older L.G.B.T.Q members. One issue is the decreased presence of similar individuals within senior living faculties. The L.G.B.T.Q community is already a societal minority, now imagine being older in a senior living with no other L.G.B.T.Q. seniors among you. The importance of having social relationships is vital to fight depression when it comes to getting older. Research indicates that lack of social relationships is a major issue for older L.G.B.T.Q members. Link to SAGE for various resources.

September is National Prevention Month! Make a difference in someone’s life; if you or another individual are feeling suicidal please call the hotline. 1-800-273-8255
https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

* * * * *

Guest blogger Brandon Garrick is a Masters of Social Work Candidate at NC State University

Brandon Garrick is my second cousin who I enjoy spending a lot if time with. He recently completed his Bachelor of Sociology at North Carolina State University, and has now entered their Master’s Program of Social Work. He worked full time at North Carolina’s Central Prison as a corrections officer while completing his bachelor’s degree, and has a deep concern about the many social issues facing our nation and the world. He will now be a regular guest blogger discussing these various issues.

* * * * *

NOTE: The Sept 7-20, 2018 issue of qnotes, North Carolina’s bi-weekly LGBT paper, has several article about suicide and the LGBT community.

Five Facts you may not know about Suicide…. And Intersection with Diversity (Monthly Guest Blog by Brandon Garrick)

Posted on by

Isolation, loneliness and rejection often contribute to people attempting suicide. (Photo courtesy of boksburgadvertise.co.za

Here is the next monthly guest blog from my cousin Brandon Garrick, Masters of Social Work Candidate at North Carolina State University. As a diversity consultant, I do see the connection between these suicide facts and the relevance to various diversity constituencies.

As a future clinical social worker and mental health professional, I often read various data on suicide. I think it would be fair to say most people know that suicide is a national public health issue in the United States. However it is likely possible there are certain facts that people may not be aware of about suicide in our country.

Suicide is indeed a social issue that affects everybody and can result from severe depression. Depression faces negative stigma from society at times and can be hard to treat. I recently found out that a fellow classmate from high school had died by suicide. The overall realization that somebody as young as myself would ponder that life wasn’t worth living anymore is disheartening. Therefore my goal is to raise awareness and possible inform people about things they may have not know about suicide.

1. Veterans are at higher risk of suicide then those who did not serve. Veterans are twice as likely as civilians to die by suicide, according to the Veteran Affairs. Veterans make up more than 14 percent of all suicides, although they account for only 8 percent of the total population. I recently attended the 2018 NASW (National Association of Social Workers) national conference in Washington D.C. where I discussed the problems of suicide within our veteran populations. I was then informed that more veterans are killed by suicide then in active combat. The mental health of our veterans needs improvement!

2. Firearms account for more than half of suicides in the United States. I am by far not making an argument that we need tougher gun control in our country. That is a political discussion for another day. However it is important to note that firearms contribute to more than half of the suicides in the United States. There are a lot of responsible gun owners who lock up their firearms responsibility, but we need to remain open to hear any possible solutions to this specific problem.

3. Men are at higher risk of death by suicide then women. Men die by suicide 3.53 times more often than women. This fact can be attributed to many various factors. However it is important to realize that women aren’t the only ones who need help. There is often a negative stigma men face for receiving help for feeling depressed. Therefore if you are or know a man who is feeling depressed, don’t wait to get or get them help.

4. The LGBT community is at higher risks of suicide. Various psychological and sociological studies have indicated that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender populations are at increased risks for suicide. The higher prevalence of suicide can be linked to higher incidence of mental disorders in these populations—in particular, depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. And much of this is caused by negative oppression from the family, the church and society as a whole.

5. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for college students. As a college student myself, this fact is disheartening. The only thing that lead to more deaths of college students is vehicle related deaths. Suicide is a major issue for our college youth and can stem from various things. This is why it is important to have counseling resources on campus for all students.

I may expand on some of these five areas in future blogs. For now, here is the national suicide lifeline if anybody needs it. https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ 1-800-273-8255

* * * * *

Guest blogger Brandon Garrick is a Masters of Social Work Candidate at NC State University

Brandon Garrick is my second cousin who I enjoy spending a lot if time with. He recently completed his Bachelor of Sociology at North Carolina State University, and has now entered their Master’s Program of Social Work. He worked full time at North Carolina’s Central Prison as a corrections officer while completing his bachelor’s degree, and has a deep concern about the many social issues facing our nation and the world. He will now be a regular guest blogger discussing these various issues.