Social and professional challenges in protection of LGBT+ people's mental health

Abstract

Research in Slovenia and abroad shows an increased threat to the mental health of LGBT+ people. Protecting their mental health is a challenge for various psychosocial care professionals, including psychotherapists. In order to achieve a better quality of professional assistance to LGBT+ individuals, a lot needs to be changed at the institutional and wider societal level. An important positive step in this direction is the withdrawal of all categories related to transgender identities from ICD-11 and the introduction of a new category of sexual incongruence. In Slovenia, the Resolution on the National Mental Health Programme 2018-2028 is expected to indirectly improve the lives of LGBT+ people with mental health challenges (as a more vulnerable and often socially excluded social group), by for instance increasing access to medical and psychosocial care services. Also important is the legal regulation of private mental health care. Support of the LGBT+ population by non-governmental organizations is insufficient due to increasing needs. Legebitra and TransAkcija are the main organizations that offer psychosocial counselling to the LGBT+ population, the latter being the only one that focuses exclusively on working with transgender people. At the level of a LGBT+ individual seeking help or support there are challenges associated with psychiatric treatment in the medical process of gender confirmation (medical transition). There is also a lack of relevant knowledge among professionals who offer various forms of psychosocial care. At the societal level, a major problem in the daily lives of LGBT+ people is (still) discrimination, which also has a negative effect on their mental health. One of the potentially more stressful events in the life of an LGBT+ person is the disclosure of sexual identity or sexual orientation to loved ones, especially parents.