This article holds behavioural health statistics ‎‎(2022) for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and straight individuals in the US. The source for this information, SAMHSA, is committed to addressing behavioural health disparities among vulnerable populations, such as LGBT Americans, and will continue to work toward improving the access, quality, and outcomes of behavioural health services nationwide. This should show that the data presented below isn’t biased as we examine the behavioural health of lesbian, gay, straight and bisexual individuals.  This report focuses on substance use and mental health indicators among adults aged 18 or older in the United States based on pooled NSDUH* data from 2021 and 2022.

A. SUBSTANCE USE

1. Cigarette Smoking

2. Alcohol Use

Definitions: BINGE DRINKING means consumption of four or more drinks on the same occasion for females and five or more drinks on the same occasion for males on at least 1 day in the past 30 days. HEAVY DRINKING means binge drinking on 5 or more days in the past 30 days.

3) Illicit Drug Use

Definitions: ILLICIT DRUG USE includes the use of marijuana, cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens, inhalants, and methamphetamine, as well as the misuse of prescription drugs (pain relievers, tranquillisers, stimulants, or sedatives). MISUSE OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS means use in any way not directed by a doctor, such as use without a prescription of one’s own, or use in greater amounts, more often, or longer than told to take a drug.

4) CNS Stimulants

CNS = central nervous system; Rx = prescription

Sexual minority adults were at least twice as likely as straight adults to have misused any CNS stimulant in the past year—roughly similar patterns held for each CNS stimulant (cocaine, methamphetamine, or prescription stimulants).

5) Opioid Misuse

6) Inhalant Use

7) Hallucinogen Use

8) Misuse of Rx Tranquilizers or Sedatives

B. SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS

Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) are characterized by impairment caused by the recurrent use of alcohol or other drugs (or both), including health problems, disability, and failure to meet major responsibilities at work, school, or home.

C) MENTAL HEALTH

Definitions: ANY MENTAL ILLNESS (AMI) refers to the presence of a mental, behavioural, or emotional disorder in the past year of sufficient duration to meet criteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, excluding developmental disorders and substance use disorders. SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS (SMI) refers to the presence of a mental, behavioural, or emotional disorder that substantially interferes with or limits one or more major life activities. Estimates of SMI are a subset of estimates of AMI because SMI is limited to people with AMI which results in serious functional impairment.

1. Major Depressive Episode

NSDUH respondents were classified as having a major depressive episode (MDE) in the past 12 months if (1) they had at least one period of 2 weeks or longer in the past year when for most of the day nearly every day they felt depressed or lost interest or pleasure in daily activities; and (2) they also had problems with sleeping, eating, energy, concentration, self-worth, or having recurrent thoughts of death or recurrent suicidal ideation.

2. Co-occurring AMI and SUD

Data of individuals that had both AMI (any mental illness) and SUD (substance use disorder) in the previous year (NSDUH 2021/2022).

D) SUICIDAL THOUGHTS & BEHAVIORS

1. Had Serious Thoughts of Suicide

2. Made a Suicide Plan

3. Attempted Suicide

E) Summary

Results from the 2021 and 2022 NSDUHs indicate that lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults are more likely than straight adults to use substances, experience mental health issues including major depressive episodes, and experience serious thoughts of suicide. The findings in this report particularly underscore how these issues affect bisexual adults. However, these findings do not explain the reasons for these differences, such as the influence of stressors that are unique to people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or intersex (LGBTQI+).

All the above statistics have been taken directly from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

So, why are we bringing this up?

God’s intention for heterosexual Creation is rooted in the idea of complementarity stemming from the differences between male and female, and unity that reflects divine love and balance, allowing couples to support each other spiritually, emotionally, and physically. The creation of a man and a woman is seen as a perfect pairing.

We were created for divinity and righteousness, for appreciating the beauty of our creation. Submission to God’s will brings hope and endless blessings, whereas resisting God’s divine will and surrendering to sinful temptation leads to curses and doom. God’s hand is always open, inviting and supporting repentant hearts, and His will is the forgiveness of our sins, and His purpose is always our salvation and divinity.

Source:

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2023). Lesbian, gay, and bisexual behavioural health: Results from the 2021 and 2022 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (SAMHSA Publication No. PEP23-07-01-001). Centre for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/LGB-Behavioral-Health-Report-2021-2022

* NSDUH – National Surveys on Drug Use and Health