LGBTQ youth and substance use disorder

It's been a tough year for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) youth, as access to gender affirming health care, youth sports, and drag performances are vilified and outlawed in one state after another. Far from value-neutral, overhearing this political discourse too often leads to life-threatening shame, despair, and self-harm thoughts and feelings for young people just coming into their LGBTQ identity. As in many communities that experience discrimination, LGBTQ young people may overuse substances to cope with a hostile environment that insults their humanity. Though youth are especially vulnerable, LGBTQ people across the lifespan are at markedly higher risk for mental health challenges and harmful substance use than the public. Evidence has shown that identity-targeted interventions can be effective in supporting wellness within these communities. This webinar will describe these disparities, explore what makes young LGBTQ populations particularly vulnerable, provide suggestions about how best to support a young queer, trans, or nonbinary individual in crisis, and consider Sexual and Gender Minority (SGM)-targeted prevention frameworks and strategies.