A feeling of hopelessness drives up the risk of suicide. With social support, that feeling in LGBTQ youth can start to go away and be healed.
A new report from the Trevor Project details how in 2022 nearly half of LGBTQ youth in the U.S. seriously considered suicide.
Dr. Elizabeth Meadows is a psychology professor at Central Michigan University. For youth especially, she said a supportive family can go a long way toward helping an LGBTQ child have a sense of belonging
“Some kids don’t have that kind of supportive family," she said. "Sometimes seeking out other supportive adults, kind of second families, chosen families... but even just, you know, having peers and peers’ parents to kind of fill in for some of that can be helpful.”
There have been projects to help LGBTQ youth feel heard, like the It Gets Better project which showcases stories of queer adults who were able to overcome their darkest times, Meadows said.
Project coordinators originally attended schools in person, but she said they realized:
"We can put videos online to tell kids things get better, that even if you’re in this lousy situation now, like there are people out there now who are gay adults who are in similar situations as kids... and their lives are good now," Meadows said. "They have control over their environment, that they’re in supportive places—that can be you also."
If you are experiencing thoughts of suicide, please reach out to the 988 mental health crisis hotline.