Lesbian, Gay, and Transgender Individuals with Mental Illness: Narratives of the Acceptance Process

Abstract

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals with mental illness encounter double stigma of mental illness and LGBT identity that can uniquely impact the process of acceptance of mental illness. Acceptance of mental illness is essential to promoting recovery and may be one of the most crucial and difficult steps in this process. Qualitative case narrative methodology was used to identify themes related to the facilitators and barriers in the acceptance process for lesbian, gay, and transgender (LGT) individuals in the present study. Three participant narratives are presented to assist practitioners in applying these findings to clinical practice. Selected case narratives represent participants with LGT identities to illustrate facilitators and barriers in the acceptance process among individuals within this group. Identified themes included identity factors at the micro level, relational factors at the meso level, and systemic factors at the macro level. Notably, identity-related facilitators of acceptance of mental illness included developing preferred terminology and self-defined language. Implications are suggested for psychotherapy and research pertaining to the process of acceptance of mental illness for LGBT individuals with mental illness.