LGB people more prone to mental health disorders, alcohol misuse

Lesbian, gay and bisexual are significantly more likely to have mental health conditions and report alcohol, drug misuse than heterosexual people.

The research analysed data from the 2007 and 2014 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Surveys** (APMS), which had a combined sample of 10,433 people in England aged 16-64.

The surveys are completed via face-to-face interviews and/or computer self-completion and contain data relating to sexual orientation, common mental disorders (CMD), hazardous alcohol use, and illicit drug use.

Researchers found there had been no change between 2007 and 2014, with LGB people remaining at higher risk of poorer mental health when compared to heterosexuals.

The prevalence of depression and anxiety disorders among bisexual people was 40%, and for lesbian and gay people it was 28%, which was significantly higher than that for heterosexuals at 16%.

Alcohol misuse was highest in lesbian and gay people, at 37%, compared with bisexual people at 31%, and heterosexuals, at 24%.