Star Observer Issue 1118

Australia’s leading gay and lesbian newspaper ONLINE TWITTER @star_observerISSUE 1118 FACEBOOK Star ObserverThursday 5 April 2012starobserver. com. au Est. 1979 LGBT Australians are experiencing worrying levels of depression and anxiety, a national study... More

Australia’s leading gay and lesbian newspaper ONLINE TWITTER @star_observerISSUE 1118 FACEBOOK Star ObserverThursday 5 April 2012starobserver. com. au Est. 1979 LGBT Australians are experiencing worrying levels of depression and anxiety, a national study has found. The La Trobe University study — Private Lives 2 (PL2) — which surveyed more than 4000 LGBT people, found almost 80 percent of participants had experienced at least one episode of intense anxiety in the last 12 months. More than a quarter of respondents had been diagnosed with, or treated for, an anxiety disorder during that same time. La Trobe lead researcher Liam Leonard said discrimination was likely to be to be a key factor in the result. “While the research documents show an increased acceptance of GLBT people and marginal improvements in their general health, it also shows GLBT people continue to experience much higher levels of abuse and discrimination,” Leonard said. “Alikelyoutcomeofthisisthepoorermental health Less