‘Conversion Therapy’ Linked to Depression, PTSD, Suicidal Thoughts Among LGBTQ+ Individuals: Study In Lancet 

Study published in The Lancet Psychiatry says conversion therapy is linked to significant mental health issues among LGBTQ+ individuals, and calls for legislative bans, support networks for survivors.

A new study has revealed that LGBTQ+ individuals in the USA who undergo ‘conversion therapy’ are more likely to experience significant mental health issues, including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and suicidal thoughts or attempts. The findings published in The Lancet Psychiatry come from an analysis of survey responses from 4,426 LGBTQ+ adults, highlighting the harmful effects of conversion practices aimed at altering the sexual orientation or gender identity of an individual.

According to the study, both cisgender and transgender individuals who had undergone conversion therapy reported severe symptoms of depression and PTSD. However, while cisgender participants were at higher risk of suicidal thoughts and attempts, transgender participants experienced more severe overall mental health impacts. This underscores the detrimental long-term effects of these practices, with the authors calling for urgent legislative action to ban them.

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What Is Conversion Therapy?

Conversion therapy refers to various practices or treatments aimed at changing an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity, typically from LGBTQ+ identities to heterosexual or cisgender ones. It’s an organised and systematic effort to change an individual's sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression. It typically includes psychological, behavioral, physical, and religious-based interventions aimed at altering LGBTQ+ identities.

These practices are based on the false belief that being LGBTQ+ is abnormal and can be "cured" or "fixed”. Conversion therapy methods can range from counselling to more extreme and harmful interventions like aversion therapy, where individuals are subjected to negative stimuli in an attempt to associate their LGBTQ+ identity with discomfort or pain.

Medical and psychological associations worldwide, including the American Psychological Association and the World Health Organization, have condemned conversion therapy as ineffective, unethical, and potentially harmful. 

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Severe Mental Health Symptoms

Dr. Nguyen Tran, the study's lead author from Stanford University School of Medicine, emphasised the “unethical” nature of conversion practices and their profound mental health consequences. “Our findings add to a body of evidence that shows conversion practice is unethical and linked with poor mental health. Protecting LGBTQ+ people from the impacts of these harmful practices will require multi-pronged legislation, including state and federal bans,” said Tran, listing “support networks and targeted mental health support for survivors” as vital additional measures.

The survey, conducted through The PRIDE Study, found that 3.4% of participants had been subjected to practices targeting their sexual orientation, while 1% had experienced attempts to change their gender identity. Those subjected to both types of conversion practices reported the most severe mental health symptoms, including a high prevalence of depression, PTSD, and suicidal thoughts.

While 92% of the total 4,426 participants identified as White, their age ranged from 18 to 84 years, averaging at 31 years. As many as 2,504 (57%) participants were cisgender, while 1,923 (43%) were transgender. 

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Conversion Practices & Religion   

People with religious upbringings, or those raised in communities that do not accept their gender identity, besides participants from minority ethnic backgrounds, more commonly reported conversion practices. 

Conversion practices aimed at changing an individual's sexual orientation were primarily conducted by religious leaders or organisations (52%, 100 out of 191 participants), followed by mental health providers or organisations (29%, 55 out of 191). In contrast, practices targeting gender identity were more frequently administered by mental health professionals or organisations (54%, 46 out of 85 participants), followed by religious leaders or organisations (33%, 28 out of 85), and a combination of both (13%, 11 out of 85).

Despite opposition from major medical and psychological associations, conversion therapy remains legal in many parts of the world and is still practised in the USA.

The study highlights the need for long-term research to better understand the psychological toll of conversion therapy, particularly on transgender individuals. It also emphasises the importance of education and awareness campaigns aimed at preventing these harmful practices and providing mental health support to survivors.

In a related commentary, Dr. Jack Drescher from Columbia University Medical Center called for stricter regulation of mental health professionals involved in conversion therapy. He urged that ethical guidelines in the mental health profession should reflect broader societal acceptance of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities.

The study's authors acknowledge limitations, including potential recall errors and underrepresentation of individuals most severely impacted by conversion therapy. Nonetheless, the findings underscore the negative impact of ‘conversion therapy’ on mental health, highlighting the need for legislation banning the practices.