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15 Mental Health Resources For LGBTQ+ Community

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Mental Health Resources to support the LGBTQ

No matter how hard we allies try to support the LGBTQ community, still, there are people in this world who try to discriminate against them and abuse them verbally However, this does not mean the end of hope here.

I have prepared a list of mental health resources for supporting the LGBTQ+ community that can be used to protect them and support them. If you think someone is having difficulty in receiving mental health care, this list of mental health resources is definitely going to work.

Due to inequality and discrimination, there is an urgent need for psychological services for LGBTQ+ people. Feel free to share this list with other allies and LGBTQ people.

Online Mental Health Resources for LGBTQ+ Community

1. GLMA Health Professionals Advancing LGBT Equality

Visit: GLMA Health Professionals Advancing LGBT Equality

It is an organization that has been working since 1981 with a mission of ensuring equality and connecting people related to the LGBTQ+ community. You can easily visit their website and check their directory for finding mental health and physical health care professionals in your locality or state. GLMA’s only goal is to provide the utilization of scientific expertise.

2. Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GSLEN): Student Action

Visit: Gay, lesbian and straight education network (GSLEN): Student Action

GSLEN is an organization offering information and knowledge which helps students to take action and initiate life changes in communities and schools. Students who keep interested in initiating a Gender and Sexuality Alliance anywhere can easily register. This organization helps students with resources and other movements so that they can help foster the LGBTQ+ community.

3. True Colors United

Visit: True Colors United

True colors united is an organization that focuses on improving mental health and homelessness for LGBTQ+ youth. Additionally, they also provide resources and advocacy which helps the youth to move in the right direction. Moreover, the best part about this organization is that they also organize fundraising events and you can also be part of it if you are interested in raising money for the LGBTQ+ youth.

Crisis Resources for LGBTQ+ Community

4. Crisis Text Line

Text: 741-741

Visit: Crisis Text Line

By texting on the given number you will be connected to a crisis counselor who will support you through texting services. This organization works 24*7 without any holiday therefore, you can connect with them anytime and keep it saved for future use.

5. The Trevor Project

Call: 1-866-488-7386

Text: START 678-678

Visit: The Trevor Project

This organization is the world’s largest crisis intervention for the support of LGBTQ+ youth specifically under the age of 25. You can either text them or connect with them via calling services. They are available 24*7 without any holidays.

6. Trans Lifeline

Text: 1-877-565-8860

Visit: Trans Lifeline

Trans Lifeline is an organization that is devoted to offering support and care to transgender people. It does not only provide care but also provides peer support with the help of experienced people in this area. The best part I loved about Trans Lifeline is that they are staffed by only trans individuals.

7. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

Call: 1-800-273-8255

Visit: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is an organization that is totally free. It is handled by a group of anonymous people who provide support to the people who are dealing with suicidal behaviors or thoughts. You can visit their website, call them, or connect with them via chat services.

You will be connected with a trained and experienced counselor who is trained specifically for handling issues related to the LGBTQ+ community. The best part I loved about this website is that they also offer a section wherein you can get information regarding the LGBTQ+ community and you can easily share the content to aware people of their issues and discrimination.

8. LGBT National Hotline

Call: 1-800-843-4564

Visit: LGBT National Hotline

This organization is created for LGBTQ+ people of all ages. It provides anonymous, confidentiality, and support to people wherein they talk about issues, coming out, bullying, identity, anxiety, mental health, safe sex, and more. You can easily visit their website and connect with them.

Therapy Services for LGBTQ+ Community

There are various online therapy services that are specially designed to help and support the LGBTQ+ community. Below are the best online therapy services for LGBTQ+ people.

9. Pride Counseling

Pride counseling is the biggest and famous online therapy platform for LGBTQ+ mental health services. This mental health service organization has counselors who are specialized in helping and supporting people with mental health issues. They provide services for mental health issues like stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, helplessness, interpersonal conflicts, self-esteem, relationships, coming out, and more.

Start Your Counseling Now

10. Pride Institute

Pride Institute is an inclusive recovery platform for the LGBTQ+ community. They do not only offer care and support but also provide outpatient and residential treatment programs for addiction and substance abuse.

Along with this, they provide a family therapy program to prevent homelessness, a sexual health program for safe sex and trauma, telehealth for mental health issues, and other mental health-related referrals.

Start Your Counseling Now

Support Groups for LGBTQ+ Community

11. Q Chat Space

Visit: Q Chat Space

Q Chat Space is a platform that provides an opportunity for LGBTQ+ teens to participate and speak up in a group that is facilitated by professionals only. All members of the group are verified and safe. It also offers support for Spanish-speaking LGBTQ+ people.

12. PFLAG

Visit: PFLAG

PFLAG is the very first organization designed for helping families, parents, and allies to support the LGBTQ+ community. As of now, the organization is growing and holds 400 local chapters in the USA.

Other Resources for LGBTQ+ Community

13. LGBT National Youth Talkline

Call: 1-800-246-7743

Visit: LGBT National Youth Talkline

The only aim of this organization is to provide counseling, advice, and information to the teens related to coming out, sexual health, mental health, and other important topics. On this website, you can find various groups or community centers in your area or locality that support LGBTQ+ community rights.

14. Love is Respect

Call: 1-866-331-9474

Visit: Love is Respect

This organization provides resources for teens and youth of the LGBTQ+ community related to healthy relationships, abuse, and violence. Additionally, they also have a chain of counselors that are available to provide advice, education, and support to LGBTQ+ teens.

15. The National Runaway Safeline

Call: 1-800-786-2929

Visit: The National Runaway Safeline

This organization is working for years to provide assistance and resources to teens and young people who are homeless or ran away from home while coming out. They also provide counseling, shelter, transportation, and assistance in returning home.

I hope this blog helps you with online and other mental health resources for supporting the mental health of the LGBTQ+ community. This pride month let us all take a pledge to protect the LGBTQ community’s mental health.

Feel free to share this article with everyone you know. Comment down if you know any other legit mental health resource for supporting the LGBTQ community. For more such content, connect with us on all social media platforms.

Thanks for reading!

Happy Pride Month ☺

Continue Reading15 Mental Health Resources For LGBTQ+ Community

Lyme Disease and Mental Illness – Psychology Today

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There are quite a few reviews in the medical literature documenting the neuropsychiatric conditions associated with Lyme disease, and most include the general category of “eating disorders.” but when I searched the medical database for case histories, I could find only one, published in 1992.

Andrew Pachner and colleagues described a 12-year-old boy who initially presented with right knee swelling, and tested positive for Lyme disease.1 He was treated with doxycycline for 30 days and his knee was better. However, two months later he became depressed and restricted his food intake, compulsively exercised, and lost 31 pounds.

He still tested positive for Lyme disease and was treated with intravenous penicillin for two weeks, and soon thereafter he was no longer depressed, he ate normally, and he gained weight.

This month I reported on a second case of anorexia nervosa in association with Lyme disease.2 It is important to distinguish between simple anorexia, or loss of appetite, which is common with many medical conditions and infections, and anorexia nervosa, which is a disorder characterized by the obsessive need to lose weight by refusing to eat.

My patient, Diane, was raised in upstate New York, which is highly endemic for Lyme disease. In fact, she had multiple tick bites as a youngster but no known illness. However, she did have some issues that stood out: At two years old she began screaming and pulling her hair out—a condition termed trichotillomania. This gradually morphed into generalized anxiety and irritability.

When she was 14, Diane had another tick attachment that was not treated, and she developed fatigue, frequent sore throats, impaired cognition, and worsening depression, anxiety, and irritability.

When she was 15, she began restricting her food intake and purging after meals. This led to an admission to an eating disorder unit, where she was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa. She went in and out of the inpatient facility and an outpatient eating disorder program five times without success. She was also making serious suicide threats.

Her mother is a savvy nurse, and had her tested for Lyme disease. The test was positive.

When I first met Diane, she was 16. She was refusing to eat and had a naso-gastric tube in place through which she received all her calories. She stated that she was still overweight and needed to restrict her diet—she was 5’6” and weighed 125 lbs. The interesting thing about her physical exam was the skin on her thighs—reddish striations that look like stretch marks, but not in the normal skin planes. Diane interpreted these as stretch marks that further supported her belief that she was overweight.

In addition to Lyme disease, Diane tested positive for two tick-borne coinfections, Babesia and Mycoplasma. But in addition, she had a fourth tick-borne infection: Bartonella. She tested negative for this microbe, but the testing is notoriously insensitive. However, the red striations on her legs are virtually diagnostic for that microbe. (See Figures 1, 2 & 3 below for pictures of Bartonella striae.)

In a study posted in December 2020, Ed Breitshwerdt and colleagues described 29 patients with mental health issues who tested positive for Bartonella, 24 of whom developed skin rashes at the same time they developed neuropsychiatric symptoms; most of those skin changes look the same as the ones on Diane.3 The Bartonella striae are caused by new blood vessel formation in layers of the dermis, and biopsies of the striae have demonstrated Bartonella bacteria.4

We treated Diane with three months of intravenous antibiotics and a total of one year of oral antibiotics. Her eating disorder has stayed in remission for three years.

Traditionally, the etiology of anorexia nervosa is considered to be a combination of genetic and environmental factors, such as dysfunctional home circumstances, a history of emotional trauma, and modern Western culture’s emphasis on thinness.

However, there are several reports in the medical literature that describe the role of infections in the etiology of eating disorders.5-10 There is also a higher risk of eating disorders in children and adolescents with autoimmune disease.11

When you connect infection with autoimmunity, one outcome is autoimmune encephalitis—i.e., Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS), which will be the subject of the next post.

Anorexia nervosa is increasingly common and it is serious: It has the highest mortality of any “psychiatric” disorder. Wouldn’t it be great if we could test all the patients who are diagnosed with anorexia nervosa for infections?

c. kinderlehrer 2021

Figure 1.

Source: c. kinderlehrer 2021

c. kinderlehrer 2021

Figure 2.

Source: c. kinderlehrer 2021

c. kinderlehrer 2021

Figure 3.

Source: c. kinderlehrer 2021

Continue ReadingLyme Disease and Mental Illness – Psychology Today

Emotional Support Animals Help Lick Depression, Anxiety – Medscape

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Use of emotional support animals (ESAs) yields quantifiable reductions in depression, anxiety, and loneliness for patients with serious mental illness (SMI) who live alone, early research suggests.

Investigators followed 11 community-dwelling adults with SMI who were paired with a shelter dog or cat for 1 year. Participants’ depression, anxiety, and loneliness were assessed at baseline and 12 months after receipt of their ESA.

At regular home visits during the study, participants also underwent saliva testing before playing with their pets and after 10 minutes of enjoyable pet, interaction to assess levels of oxytocin — a biomarker associated with bonding — as well as cortisol and alpha-amylase, which are markers of stress.

Significant reductions in measures of anxiety, depression, and loneliness were found between baseline and 12 months for all participants. Moreover, there was a pattern of an increase in levels of oxytocin and a decrease in levels of cortisol after 10 minutes of ESA interaction, but the degree of change did not reach statistical significance.

“Although this was a small pilot study and the findings are correlational, rather than causal, we can nevertheless say from the self-report of this group of participants and from the data collected that having an emotional support animal was beneficial to their mental health,” lead author Janet Hoy-Gerlach, LISW-S, PhD, professor of social work, University of Toledo, in Toledo, Ohio, told Medscape Medical News.

“We feel this data is a strong justification for additional study, and we hope that it will be a catalyst for future research with larger samples and more rigorous methodology,” said Hoy-Gerlach, who is the author of Human-Animal Interaction: A Social Work Guide, published by the NASW Press in 2017.

The study was published online on May 20 in Human-Animal Interaction Bulletin.

Everyday Interactions

An ESA is a “companion animal (pet) who helps to reduce disability-related impairment for a particular person through the animal’s presence and everyday interactions,” the authors write.

Unlike service animals, which perform specific functions, ESAs “provide benefits that fall along the same dimensions as the benefits of pets — physical, social, emotional, and psychological — and there is research supporting the role that animals can play in each of these arenas,” Hoy-Gerlach said.

ESAs require no special training. All that is needed is a letter from a medical or mental health professional “that the individual meets the definition of ‘disability’ under the Fair Housing Act and a companion animal is a needed disability-ameliorating accommodation and should be allowed in buildings that don’t ordinarily permit pets,” she noted.

There is currently no peer-reviewed research that focuses explicitly on the impact of ESAs in individuals with SMI. To investigate, the researchers turned to the Hope and Recovery Pet Program (HARP) — a community partnership of the University of Toledo, the Toledo Humane Society, and ProMedica, a large regional nonprofit Toledo-based healthcare system — that pairs community-living individuals who have depression and/or anxiety with shelter animals that require adoption. The program pays for pet food, supplies, and veterinary care for those unable to afford these.

Participants (n = 11; mean age, 53.67 years; 78% women) were recruited from the HARP program. Participants were required to be psychiatrically stable, have stable housing, live alone, be at risk for social isolation, have low income, be sober, and have no history of violence. Their primary diagnoses were major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and schizoaffective disorder (63%, 18%, and 18%, respectively).

Six participants adopted a cat, and five adopted a dog.

Prior to ESA adoption and at 12 months, participants completed the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and the UCLA Loneliness Scale Version 3.

Prior to ESA adoption and at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months, saliva samples were collected from participants by researchers at the beginning of a home visit and then after 10 minutes of “focused pleasant interaction” with the ESA. The saliva was tested for oxytocin, alpha amylase, and cortisol.

Motivation, Comfort, Calm

The researchers found statistically significant decreases in UCLA Loneliness Scale scores from pre-ESA (mean [SD],59.20 [9.47]) to 12 months (49.90 [13.66], P = .004). The eta-squared statistic (.62) indicated a large effect size.

For 18 of the 20 items on the loneliness scale, mean values were lower after the intervention than before the intervention. Of these, four were statistically significant.

A statistically significant decrease in BDI total scores was also seen from pre-ESA to 12 months (21.09 [8.43] to 14.64 [7.03], respectively; P = .03). The eta-squared statistic (.41) indicated a large effect size.

Of the 21 items on the BDI scale, the mean value was lower for 19 after the intervention. Of these, five were statistically significant.

Similarly, a statistically significant decrease in BAI score was found from pre-ESA to 12 months (23.55 [9.81] to 17.73 [11.79], P = .049). The eta-squared statistic (.36) indicated a large effect size, although there were no statistically significant changes in individual item scores.

The researchers found “observable patterns” of decreases in cortisol and increases in oxytocin after the 10-minute enjoyable ESA interactions. The highest oxytocin increase occurred at 12 months; however, these improvements did not reach statistical significance.

Participants offered open-ended statements about the positive impact of their ESA on their mental health, Hoy-Gerlach said. “For example, they described feeling motivated to take better care of themselves because their ESA needed them. Some described feeling ‘comforted,’ distracted from symptoms, soothed, and calmed.

“There is definitely a place for ESAs, especially with mental health post pandemic, when we need all the resources that we can for those who can benefit,” she added.

Post-Pandemic Mental Health

Commenting on the study for Medscape Medical News, Christine Crawford, MD, MPH, assistant professor of psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, observed that ESAs “are not on the radar for a lot of clinicians, and a lot of clinicians don’t know about the science [supporting their use] or what an emotional support pet entails.

“We need to educate ourselves about what other options are available to provide symptomatic relief for patients besides traditional forms of treatment, such as medication and therapy. Even a little relief is important, and having an emotional support pet is a good option,” said Crawford, who is the associate medical director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. She was not involved with the study.

Hum Anim Interact Bull. Published online May 20, 2021. Abstract

Continue ReadingEmotional Support Animals Help Lick Depression, Anxiety – Medscape

Feeling Delirious? How To Deal With Delirium Symptoms & Cope With It?

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Feeling delirious

Delirium is a condition when the person faces abrupt confusion and emotional disruption due to changes in the brain. In such a condition, it becomes tough to think properly, pay attention to the regular day-to-day functioning and remember important things. It is more common amongst adults and they feel disoriented.

What Are The Types Of Delirium?

What Are The Types Of Delirium

Image source: IntechOpen

The condition is divided into different categories based on causes and characteristics.

  • Delirium tremens: This condition occurs in people who are trying to withdraw from alcohol and have been drinking for many years now.
  • Hyperactive delirium: People with such conditions are very uncooperative and alert in nature.
  • Hypoactive delirium: Such a condition makes a person lazy, inattentive and disorganized in their everyday life. The condition could be so severe that a person can forget to consume his or her meals on time and important appointments on schedule.

It can be noted that some people can have a combination of hyperactive as well as hypoactive delirium and show signs of a mixing nature.

What Are The Causes Of Delirium?

  • Delirium is most common in the senior age when they get older, face memory loss and have trouble understanding and remembering anything.
  • Apart from old age, delirium can be caused due to those diseases which give higher infection and inflammation such as pneumonia.
  • Consuming certain medications can have side effects which make a person feel delirious.
  • Consumption of drugs and alcohol and even their withdrawal alter the chemical changes in the brain which causes a delirious state of mind.
  • Dehydration
  • Kidney failure or liver failure because of which oxygen level in the blood goes low.
  • Stress and sleep deprivation

Delirium & Dementia: Are They Same?

Although delirium and dementia share similar features and characteristics if seen properly, they are not the same. If differences are seen then:

  • Delirium affects an individual’s attention whereas dementia affects memory.
  • Delirium can be called a temporary state whereas dementia is a long-term condition and gradually worsens over time.

Hence, a person dealing with delirium must visit the doctor immediately and seek medical attention.

Who Is At The Risk Of Developing Delirium?

People who are at the high risk of developing delirium includes:

Those who have had surgery can face delirium at about 80% if they are at the end of their life, 70% if they are admitted in ICU, 30% to 40% who have HIV, and 25% to those who are dealing with cancer.

Apart from this, others who can feel delirious are those who are on regular dialysis, cannot move from their place due to restraints, have high burns, don’t drink water properly, have Parkinson’s disease and suddenly stop consuming alcohol.

Symptoms Of Delirium

As there are different types of delirium, the symptoms may also vary. Symptoms of delirium may start suddenly and can get worse in the next few days. One of the major symptoms is the inability to pay attention which becomes worse within a few days. Other symptoms include:

  • Anxiety
  • Hallucinations
  • Being disoriented
  • Trouble in concentrating on their work
  • Quick changes in emotions
  • Restlessness
  • Apathy
  • Laziness
  • Withdrawal
  • Decrease in response time

Diagnosis

Doctors may go for different methods to diagnose delirium with methods such as:

  • Confusion assessment method: Doctors here will find out the symptoms and find if you can think, speak and act normally. The observation is based on finding if your behavior has changed throughout the day, if you are having any hard time paying attention to the surroundings or if you are rambling.
  • Some other common tests like blood tests, head scans, thyroid tests, etc. are recommended by the doctor to diagnose delirium.

How To Get Delirium Treated?

In order to treat delirium, some medications like antidepressants or sedatives may be given by the doctor. Apart from that, counseling or therapy can help you bind your thoughts. Counseling can help in treatment as it gives a safe space for discussion of thoughts and feelings.

It is important to understand that full recovery happens with the right treatment only and may take up a few weeks to actually feel like the older version of yourself. You must speak to your doctor about any particular concerns related to the disorder for the earliest improvement.

Continue ReadingFeeling Delirious? How To Deal With Delirium Symptoms & Cope With It?

Five ways to overcome salary negotiation anxiety

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Approach pay rise conversations with confidence with these tips

From March to April 2021, there has been a 219% increase in the number of people searching ‘how to ask for a pay rise?’– according to data from Google Trends.

As changes to the age eligibility for minimum wage were introduced at the beginning of April, and more people are returning to work in the office, there’s been a surge in people wanting a pay rise – but many are not sure how to go about it.

That said, there are steps you can take to not only increase your chances of getting one but to also reduce your anxiety around asking. We’ve compiled our five top tips for asking for a pay rise, and how to ensure the process is as smooth as possible.

Write down everything first

When it comes to a stressful moment, such as asking for a pay raise, you might get nervous when speaking and end up forgetting important points. Writing what you want to say down, either pen and paper or on a word document can help you to nail down what you’re thinking.

In the first instance, writing also gets all the emotion of what you want to say out and allows you to focus on the facts. The natural processing that happens when you write everything down will also help you to pull out your main points and create a cohesive argument.

If you don’t know where to start, try these questions:

  • What do I need to increase my quality of life?
  • How can I justify my rise?
  • What evidence do I have to back up my rise?
  • What’s the minimum salary I want to settle for?

Pick a range over a set figure

If you go into a salary negotiation with a single figure and don’t get everything you need, you may find yourself disgruntled with the end result.

Inform this range with averages for your industry, experience, education level, and location. LinkedIn has a great resource to help with this, which you can view here.

Be flexible in your negotiation

Instead of a salary increase, would you be willing to reduce your hours or another solution?

Increased holiday or adding in flexible working hours may also be something you would consider, instead of a direct pay increase.

However, if a pay increase is a must, have a minimum level of increase, either percentage-based or money-based, that you’re willing to accommodate.

Set a meeting in for the first thing

Rather than waiting an entire day to discuss with your line manager or further up, try getting a meeting in the morning, so you’re not sitting on the anxiety all day. You can also try getting one earlier in the week so as to not think about it all week as well as all day. The sooner you get it out of the way the better.

Whoever you end up speaking to, whether that’s a manager, HR, or similar, ask who else will be in the meeting. They may bring in a staff representative or an outsourced payroll provider, negotiator. This can also help to inform the information you need to bring in.

The day before the discussion, prep your food for the next day and give yourself the evening off to relax and soothe your brain. Whatever your favorite way to relax, make sure you allow yourself to switch off and fully ready yourself.

Practice makes perfect

Practice what you want to say. Whether you’ve prepared responses to expected questions, have a statement you want to read, or simply have a list of reasons that you think you want a pay rise, practically everything.

You can either do it to a mirror, a partner, family member, or friend. Get their feedback and use it to help you perfect what you’re going to say.
And finally, remember that the worst thing that can happen is they say no. You’re protected under workers’ rights and can’t be fired for asking a question.

 

 

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