Lesbian and bisexual women are less likely to seek help for mental health issues – study finds

A new study from Melbourne, Australia has found lesbian and bisexual women are less likely to seek out medical help for mental health issues than their straight counterparts. The study, published in the BJGP Journal, surveyed more than 500 women and found that a whopping 41.1 percent of women who are attracted to other women would not seek out professional help if suffering from addiction or mental health issues.

The same study also found that women who were out to their doctors were more likely to seek help for these same issues. If a doctor had knowledge about LGBT+ issues and identity the patient would feel more comfortable discussing mental health and addiction.

“It’s even more important for people who have suffered some discrimination,” says University of Melbourne professor Ruth McNair about the results, “and that’s one of the underlying reasons for their drug or alcohol use. Same-sex attracted women are consistently less likely than heterosexual women to use alcohol treatment services, despite reporting more problematic drinking.”