Fighting Social Stigma: Mental Health Issues Faced by Closeted LGBTQ People

The world is a beautiful and lighted place, but sometimes the light is dimmed for those who can’t shine in their true personality. In an ideal world, sexual orientation isn’t something that decides people’s worth, but reality is a tad different from this. For people from the LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, and the "+" represents other sexual orientations and gender identities.) community, all of their life experiences are often based on which gender they prefer to love.

While the heterosexual community is celebrated for their ‘normal ’ choices, LGBTQIA+ people are labelled as effeminate or ‘abnormal’ for choosing their ideal life. But as the homosexual community gets labelled negatively for their every action, the rates of their mental health woes also rise meteorically. According to a National Library of Medicine study, the prevalence of depression among gay men is three times higher than in the general adult population. 

In memory of the 55th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising and Pride Month, a pivotal movement in the LGBTQIA+ community’s rights, OnlyMyHealth attempts to highlight the havoc social stigma causes mental health disorders in closeted LGBTQ people. To put things into perspective, Arouba Kabir, Senior Counselling Psychologist and Founder, Enso Wellness, shares mental health problems faced by gay people.

Mental Health Issues Closeted LGBTQ People Face

While life isn’t easy for anyone, it is particularly harder for people trying to figure out themselves. Closeted queer (a term reffered to people who have not disclosed their sexual orientation or gender identity ) are often seen struglging both internally and externally. As they try to discover their innate orientation, they’re simultaneously trying to fit into the societal norms of heterosexual rules. 

Talking about the mental health issues faced by closeted people, counsellor Kabir said, “In the therapy room, I’ve sat with many closeted LGBTQ clients, and there’s one thing I see often: A constant, exhausting hyper-awareness. They’re always scanning, ‘Is my voice too soft?’ ‘Did I gesture too much?’ ‘Will someone guess who I am?’ This isn’t about one moment of fear. It’s an ongoing emotional weight.”

And over time, it can lead to:

• Deep Anxiety

• Depression

• Shame

• Thoughts of Self-Harm.

ALSO READ: LGBTQ Community: Here’s The 5 Health Issues Faced By Them

How Can ‘Out and Proud’ Help LGBTQ Folks?

It is a matter of personal preference on how, when, and if a person wants to reveal their sexual orientation, especially when one is met with such criticism and oftentimes, hate. But 

When someone comes out in a space that’s safe and supportive, the shift is powerful. According to Kabir, “LGBTQIA+ community still face struggles, yes. But the relief of not erasing yourself every day? That changes everything. Support doesn’t fix everything, but it gives you a mirror that says: ‘You are valid. You are seen. You’re not wrong for existing.”

How does Fear of Coming Out affect Mental Health?

When people grow up having to hide a part of themselves that feels natural, that’s not just a secret; it becomes your survival strategy. And while heterosexual groups grow up being accepted, personality in queer people starts forming around protection and not freedom to be as they want to be. 

“I’ve seen how deeply the fear of being 'found out' shapes them, especially when that fear starts young. Closeted LGBTQIA+ individuals learn to please people before they question you,” said Kabir.

They can face problems like: 

• Struggle to Trust

• Low vulnerability.

• Living in constant Fear.

ALSO READ: Health Concerns of the LGBT Community You Should Know About

Is Staying Closeted Self-Protection, or Does it Always Come at a Mental Cost?

As per counsellor Kabir, “For some of my LGBTQ clients, staying closeted isn’t just a choice, it’s a survival tool. When you live in a home or society where being queer could mean violence, abandonment, or losing your financial safety, hiding who you are becomes a form of psychological self-protection.”

“We create safety first. Because only when the nervous system feels safe can authenticity follow,” she added.

How to Be An Ally to the LGBTQIA+ Community?

Sometimes being safe becomes more important than being seen or heard for who you are. In this case, it becomes paramount to be a supportive friend or stranger, keeping your prejudices and judgment at bay. 

Some ways to support, as told by counsellor Kabir, are:

•  Affirmative Therapy: Not just “neutral,” but actively supportive. A space where their identity isn’t ignored, tiptoed around, or questioned — but welcomed. I often tell my clients, “You don’t have to convince me you deserve to exist. That part’s settled.”
• Trauma-Informed Therapy (TIT): Trauma informed therapy doesn’t ask “Why haven’t you come out yet?” It asks, “What parts of you had to go into hiding to survive?” It acknowledges that staying closeted can be a legitimate survival response, especially in unsafe families or communities.
• Online or low-stakes queer spaces: Sometimes, anonymous community is the first safe step. Even a Discord group, a Tumblr blog, a queer artist’s comment section can be life-saving. It says: “There are others like me. I’m not broken.”
• Education and Empathy Inside Families: If even one adult in the family learns to listen, not judge, it can change the trajectory of a young person’s life.

ALSO READ:Know Various Mental Health Challenges the LGBT Community Faces

Conclusion: Not Always Out, But Always Proud

In a society that is set in its ways, finding a new path can be daunting. While it is easy to find pathways, walking them is something that comes with time. To put it in counsellor Kabir’s words, “Not everyone can come out. But everyone deserves to feel like they’re not wrong for existing. Therapy can help, community can help, but mostly, it’s being seen that heals.”