Pride Month can be a time of solidarity and community. It can also be a sobering reminder of how much still needs to be done. Yes, of course, it’s crucial that victories and changes be celebrated. That’s a big way to spread awareness.
At the same time, when you raise your flag, be sure to also keep your guard up. For example, you’ll need to discern the difference between true allies and the performative types (more about that below). Another big topic is mental health. As you will soon see, some alarming statistics still exist and must be addressed in a new wave of awareness.
Important LGBTQIA+ Mental Health Trends in 2025
Here is an essential summary from the American Psychiatric Association: LGBTQIA+ individuals are diagnosed with a mental health condition twice as often as heterosexual men and women. They have more than double the risk of experiencing anxiety disorders, depression, and the misuse of substances like alcohol or drugs. Not surprisingly, LGBTQIA+ individuals are much more likely to need mental health services.
Before you assign a value judgment, consider the relative numbers. There are over 280 million adults in the U.S. About nine million of them identify as something other than heterosexual. This means that about 3 percent of all adults in the U.S. have double the rate of mental health treatment than the other 97 percent. How’s that for awareness?
The Potential Role of Pride Month
Amid the fun, Pride Month provides an opportunity to meet, greet, and brainstorm. There’s no value in denying negative stats about mental health — or about housing, employment, hate crimes, and more. But there’s also no value in engaging in real-time doom-scrolling. Far more beneficial is a realistic view of where you’re at, followed by discovering the positive steps that need to be taken.
Unfortunately, such a pragmatic approach can get lost in the shuffle. Large corporations, in particular, try to dominate June, but seem to magically vanish every July 1. Therefore, it can be truly helpful for your mental health to learn how to distinguish between real and opportunistic allies. Here are a few thoughts:
- Performative allies are virtue signaling. They’re exploiting a “cause” to build their brand. Rarely is such a person anywhere to be found if real trouble arises.
- Effective allyship is centered on identifying what changes are needed and how quickly we can make that happen. It goes beyond one month a year to embody self-awareness, open minds, follow-through, and inclusive language.
Bottom line: A genuine ally will not expect you to tolerate slights or micro-aggressions in the name of some kind of future promise.
LGBTQIA+ Mental Health Statistics: Raising Awareness During Pride Month
Circling back to the main topic here, let’s make clear that you can make a huge difference as an individual. Whether or not you’re an LGBTQIA+ individual or someone with a diagnosed mental illness, you can make everyday life better for everyone. At home, school, the workplace, or out and about, you’re not being a negative voice when you call out inappropriate behavior. You’re doing the challenging, but life-altering, work of building a more compassionate society.
That said, if you feel your mental well-being is at risk due to the treatment you receive as an LGBTQIA+ individual, there’s no better time than right now to ask for help. As you learned above, you are far from alone, and there are resources available.
This year’s Pride Month might end up being a turning point for you in that it inspired you to prioritize your mental health and, in the process, become an empathetic advocate for others in a similar position. Contact us to learn more about our LGBTQIA+ counseling services.
