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Description
In this project we support LGBT+ people with regard to their mental health and legal problems. We address, among others, the difficulties and barriers in their contact with health services. We support families of LGBT+ people experiencing problems due to lack of understanding, anxiety or feelings of failure. Data collected in the publication ''LGBT Health. A guide for health professionals'' (Campaign Against Homophobia, 2016) shows that the majority of LGBT+ people experience problems that affect their mental health. 30% of young LGBT+ people have made suicide attempts. Homophobia, biphobia and transphobia lead to the occurrence of so-called minority stress: 25% of LGB adults have experienced victimisation related to their sexual orientation, and up to 90% of young LGBT+ people experience verbal abuse at school. The authors of the publication ‘Hate no more.Report on Poland’ (2016) on homophobic and transphobic hate crimes reveal that: 30% of LGBT people on average have experienced physical or psychological violence in the last 5 years. Attacks most often occur in public spaces (33%), in schools and universities (26%) and at home (9%). Only 8% of those who have experienced physical violence have reported it to the police. One in 5 LGBT people have experienced homophobia or transphobia in contact with the police, 57.1% have been discouraged by the police from reporting crimes. State oppression of LGBT+ activists is also becoming a problem. Within the project we offer psychological consultations and support groups for young LGBT+ people, for parents of LGBT+ people and for transgender people. We provide intervention support and legal aid to LGBT+ people who experience legal problems and find it difficult to access professional help. Our project enables LGBT+ parents to come to terms with their child''s sexual orientation and identity, and helps them to understand the problems they are experiencing.
Summary of project results
The implementation of the project resulted from the need to provide psychological and/or psychiatric support to a group of people who in Poland are particularly vulnerable to mental problems due to discrimination and exclusion. The project assumed psychological and/or psychiatric support for LGBT+ people who experience mental difficulties related to their psychosexual orientation or gender identity and their families. It was supposed to respond to problems of this community, such as: more frequent occurrence of mental disorders, more frequent addiction to psychoactive substances, tendency to self-aggression and suicide attempts, occurrence of anticipatory syndrome, occurrence of the so-called minority stress. All these problems have their source in the need for LGBT+ people to function in an unfavorable environment, which results from developed homophobic, transphobic or biphobic attitudes. Moreover, the project was intended to respond to problems in contacts of LGBT+ people with state health care, which, as a whole, is not prepared for proper, non-stigmatizing care for non-heteronormative people. Moreover, the project was also intended to respond to the problems of families of LGBT+ people who encounter difficulties in accepting the psychosexual orientation or gender identity of their loved ones.
Three types of activities were carried out as part of the project. The first one was individual psychological help - in the form of psychological consultations. This was the first stage of assistance, aimed at identifying the source of the difficulties experienced and directing people to further actions they can take to improve their mental condition. These meetings took place on-site or online with one of the qualified psychologists from the team of psychologists who have been cooperating with our Association for several years. Individual psychological consultations were provided for 360 hours and were used by 360 people.
The next step was individual psychotherapy, which was conducted in the form of meetings with a psychotherapist. People using it were referred to psychotherapy during individual psychological consultations, so they had to go through the first stage of psychological assistance. Individual psychotherapy was conducted by the same specialists who accepted people for individual psychological consultations and was granted to people who, in the opinion of our specialists, could benefit most from this form of help. Individual psychotherapy was provided for 281 hours and was used by 11 people.
The third action was individual psychiatric help provided by a psychiatrist during individual medical visits - also in stationary or online form. The beneficiaries of this form of assistance were referred to psychiatrists by psychologists during individual psychological consultations. This action included not only psychiatric diagnosis, but also regular medical visits, during which pharmacological treatment was initiated for people in need. Individual psychiatric assistance was provided for 180 hours and was used by 48 people.
LGBT+ people aged at least 16 years living in the Greater Poland Voivodeship benefited from psychological and/or psychiatric help provided as part of the project. These people obtained information about the assistance provided as part of the project from the Association''s website, from posts posted on the Association''s social media, as well as from information posters that were distributed in various places where LGBT+ people regularly appear.
The results of the project were reflected in improved mental well-being. The beneficiaries, i.e. LGBT+ people, received psychological and psychiatric help as part of the project, which made it easier for them to function in society, as well as in their smaller communities, e.g. in the family environment or at work.
People who took part in individual psychological consultations benefited from recognizing the sources of difficulties experienced by people seeking help, as well as showing these people further options for solving their problems resulting from these difficulties, including working independently with a given problem or using assistance from specialists outside the project.
People who benefited from individual psychotherapy as part of the project reported that their relationship difficulties or difficulties with self-acceptance had disappeared, and the therapeutic processes could be completed.
However, people who received psychiatric care as part of the project reported during subsequent medical visits such mental health benefits as alleviation of depressive or anxiety symptoms.
From the point of view of the units that benefited from assistance under the program, it should be said that the program managed to answer their problems.