Throughout time, people have feared and ostracized those who were different from them. Not fitting in with perceived societal norms has caused extensive emotional, psychological, and physical damage, and in some cases even death to those who were cast off or misunderstood. The fears of the majority and their enforcement of their self-made definition of normal have caused relentless pain and suffering for those who find themselves outside of the masses.
Those who identify as LGBTQ+ have endured and often continue to endure pain and suffering based on who they are. They endure self-inflicted pain trying to reconcile who they are with who they are expected to be. Searching for relief from this level of pain can lead to substance use or abuse. Could this be why substance abuse is so high in the LGBTQ+ community?
Facing the Pain of Stigma
Those with substance abuse or mental health diagnoses should be able to relate to the pain that stigma and misinformation causes. Society has misrepresented, ostracized, and even punished those who do not meet their standards of mental health and sobriety. People often live up to the expectations of others, so when those expectations are lowered, it is easier to become the stigma. This is especially true when the stigma is a substance that can numb the pain, at least temporarily.
That stigma becomes more painful when the dominant cisgender society dictates that one must identify with the gender and sexuality that they dictate. Many must resort to playing the role on the outside as the pain of their conflicted identity and desires grow on the inside. Whereas substance abuse is problematic in the accepted heterosexual population, within sexual minority populations, substance abuse can be double, triple, or even multiply four times as much, based on the type of substance.
There is no way to quantify emotional and psychological pain, but evidence shows that the stigma of being LGBTQ+ is extremely painful compared to stigmas that affect the cisgender population.
Why Discrimination Hurts
Discrimination, unfortunately, exists throughout our population. Many have faced discrimination based on who they are, which are things they cannot change. This includes race, gender, nationality, disability, age, and more. While the LGBTQ+ population has enjoyed increased rights and decreased discrimination in recent years, they still face everything from glances, stares, or whispered comments to complete homophobia and discrimination within religion, the workplace, their neighborhoods, government, and even their own families.
Discrimination hurts. Imagine having the world arguing about where you are or are not allowed to use the restroom. Imagine your family disowning you or refusing to acknowledge your gender, name, or partner. Drugs and alcohol provide a temporary as well as dangerous reprieve from this kind of pain.
Fear of Hate and Violence
We unfortunately still have members of our society who live and preach hatred to those who are different from themselves. When given the power or opportunity, there are those who use violence to enforce their hate. Being bullied, beaten, or killed because of sexual identity or gender is a terrible reality. Fear of hate or violence is natural and can result in depression, anxiety, and substance abuse.
Fear of Being Honest with Family
Familial relationships can be very difficult. Cultures, religions, and traditions can create a family dynamic that is unyielding and intolerant. Despite the abandonment or abuse of offspring being relatively rare within the animal kingdom, too often, humans are more barbaric than animals themselves.
Members of the LGBTQ+ community sometimes find themselves emotionally or physically abused, or even cut off entirely from their own families if they are honest with them about who they are. They are afraid, alone, hurting, and without any support. Sometimes, substances are all they have to feel normal.
Fear of Being Honest with Yourself
One of the most difficult parts of being within a sexual minority is reconciling with yourself about who you are. You try so hard to be who everyone wants you to be. You try to fit into social norms that make you feel like a square peg in a world that offers stigma, discrimination, pain, and rejection. How can you accept yourself when no one else does?
Honesty with yourself is imperative for your healing. If you are facing fears about your sexual identity, that is okay. It is normal to be worried about change or experience anxiety as you grow into your skin. For help or more information, contact the below organizations:
Why is substance abuse so high in the LGBTQ+ community? Those in a sexual minority face much higher rates of stigma, discrimination, hate, and violence than others. Fears surrounding being honest with your family and yourself can also contribute to pain, which is often numbed with substance abuse. If you’re struggling with substance abuse or need help, that’s okay. You can get treatment for addiction at Rancho Milagro Recovery. Contact us at our Temecula, California ranch at (951) 526-4582 to find compassion and acceptance. Our staff is committed to creating a safe and healing space for everyone. We do not discriminate for any reason. Find reprieve from outside challenges by spending time on our working ranch, complete with rescue animals, who provide extra compassion for those who have suffered unnecessarily. We accept many types of insurance and can provide the residential treatment that you need to begin your recovery. Learn what inclusion, safety and healing truly mean.