This Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, we want to take the time to spotlight the unique mental health challenges of our AAPI LGBTQ+ community.
The Trevor Project recently released one of the first reports on LGBTQ youth mental health and well-being with findings specific to six major AAPI origin groups. As noted by the study, “AAPIs are the fastest-growing major racial or ethnic group in the US with more than 22 million Asians and 1.4 million Pacific Islander/Native Hawaiians living in the US. However, AAPI Americans continue to face invisibility, isolation, discrimination, bullying, and harmful stereotypes.”
Some of the key findings in the report include that 40% of AAPI LGBTQ youth seriously considered suicide in the past year, with 16% of youth reporting a suicide attempt in that same timeframe. Additionally, within the past two weeks of the study, 68% of AAPI LGBTQ youth reported symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder and 61% reported symptoms of major depressive disorder. The unique experiences and challenges of AAPI LGBTQ youth may contribute to a greater risk for poor mental health, which may be further exacerbated by challenges in accessing the treatment and affirming spaces needed to support their mental well-being.
You can find the full Trevor Project study here: The Mental Health and Well-Being of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) LGBTQ Youth – The Trevor Project
Want to know how you can help? Here is a link to resources on supporting the AAPI LGBTQ community from the Asian American Psychological Association (AAPA): LGBTQ AAPI Resources - Asian American Psychological Association (aapaonline.org). The AAPA is committed to advocating for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Asian Americans, with a mission to advance mental health and wellness for all AAPI Americans.