All these feelings contribute to severe mental health struggles for young LGBTQIA+ people, as evidenced by Just Like Us’ research, which highlights that LGBTQIA+ young people are twice as likely as their non-LGBTQIA+ peers to have depression, anxiety and panic attacks, as well as worry about their mental health.
For me, my mental health struggles began in primary school. I felt like an island, cut off from the bustling mainland of my peers. To help fend off feelings of loneliness in this world, I ventured into new realms, from CS Lewis’ Narnia to Rick Riordan’s Camp Half-Blood.
What I loved about reading is that books allowed me momentarily to escape my reality and not worry about the challenges of growing up gay in a heterosexual world. However, books could only go so far in alleviating my mental health struggles.
Fortunately, the darkness of these early years gradually lifted as I met more and more LGBTQIA+ people who provided me with a sense of belonging and shared understanding of the struggles which we faced every day. These friends, combined with therapy, gave me a glimpse of a brighter horizon where I could be a gay man happily and openly.
I have seen firsthand the power that therapy can have, both as someone who has been through it and as someone who is now studying it. Therapy can provide us with the tools and means to navigate our journey of growing up as LGBTQIA+ people.
It offered me safe harbour, allowing me to better understand myself and, in turn, evolve as well as heal. However, I know that not everyone will be able to access resources like therapy, which makes positive representation in the classroom even more vital.