If you decide to come out of the closet and have a loving and supportive family, your health will benefit says a new study conducted by the Boston University School of Public Health. According to the Huffington Post, researchers reportedly surveyed 5,658 adults between the ages of 18 and 64 in Massachusetts using a statewide surveillance system. Published in the Journal of Homosexuality, the study concluded that two-thirds of lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults suffered less mental health and substance abuse issues if they received the positive support from their parents after coming out.
Co-author, Emily Rothman, Ph. D told Psych Central the following:
“Given the high rates of suicide and self-harm among lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) youth–and the high costs of treating mental-health and substance-abuse disorders—it’s critical that we understand what we can do to promote better health for LGB kids. The way that parents treat their LGB children when they come out is an important public health topic that has received too little attention to date.”
The authors of the survey found the act of coming out was generally associated with better health for lesbian and bisexual women, but less so for gay and bisexual men. Rothman notes that “in general gay and bisexual men may be able to conduct their sexual lives apart from their parents with less stress. On the other hand, it is possible that this was an artifact of our particular sample.”
About Christopher Dellea
Christopher Dellea is currently the Associate Editor for Gaysocialites.com. You can usually find him creeping around Facebook or near some sort of stage. Don’t hesitate to ask him anything at christopher@gaysocialites.com. He is here for you!