Psychiatrist: Antigay Laws Lead to Depression

CATHY RENNA OP ED X 390 (GETTY) | ADVOCATE.COM

Last week, my patient Christopher (not his real name) came in for his regular weekly psychotherapy session.

“Did you hear about the vote?” he asked. I didn’t need to ask for clarification. I knew he was referring to the New York State Senate’s vote, 38-24, against same sex marriage that very day. “I’m really upset,” Christopher said, although it didn’t take a psychiatrist to see he was distraught. Over the next few days, Christopher was not the only gay patient in my practice to bring up the Senate vote as a distressing bit of news.

I had previously seen patients in my practice react as Christopher did. I saw many of my patients who were upset in 2004, after the Presidential election, when eleven states passed constitutional amendments banning marriage equality. Then again in the 2006 election when another nine states passed similar constitutional amendments. Then once more in 2008 when Californians voted in favor of Proposition 8 to overturn court-ordered marriage equality. More recently, this past November, Maine’s citizens voted to repeal their legislature’s recent passage of same sex marriage and the gay patients in my practice were markedly depressed by the news that another state’s majority of voters opposed equal rights.

In recent years, both the American Psychiatric Association and the American Psychological Association have gone on record as supporting marriage equality. In their statements of support, the two APAs emphasize the health and mental health benefits of marriage. However an emerging phenomenon of the last decade’s debates about the social status of gay marriage is the adverse psychological impact anti-gay marriage political campaigns have on gay people.

This is borne out by a study published earlier this year in the American Psychological Association’s Journal of Counseling Psychology. The study, “Marriage Amendments and Psychological Distress in Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual (LGB) Adults,” was an online survey of more than 1500 lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) adults. The researchers were looking for signs of psychological distress in this population following the 2006 general election.

Jack Drescher, MD is a member of the LGBT Committee of the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry.

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Reader Comments

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Name: JustAReader
Date posted: 12/15/2009 6:49:12 PM
Hometown: Falls Church, VA

Comment:
“…an online survey of more….” In other words, an unscientific poll with absolutely NO standing. The “article” back this bogus poll up with anecdotal stories. This is journalism? My experience with thousands of homosexual patients is that they are most troubled by the instability of the relationships, and the mental problems of their partners. It is the conditions of gay life that get most gay people down. Not election losses.
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Name: edweird
Date posted: 12/13/2009 11:33:33 AM
Hometown: dallas

Comment:
Wow! This is such a no-brainer. Years ago I read an article about the realities of "minority stress" and its impact on different minority groups. Texas recently voted to amend the Texas Constitution to include a law prohibiting gay marriage. The subject came up during my Business Law class, and I was just so offended but somewhat encouraged to see the disappointment in my classmates faces when they realized that this Amendment also prohibited "civil unions." The editorial page of the DMN, Dallas Morning News, is full of gay bashing every single week. I'm tired of being a "social issue."
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Name: Scott
Date posted: 12/13/2009 2:32:18 AM
Hometown: Oakland

Comment:
After Prop 8 passed, I decided to just start deflecting the hate back on others as much as possible. I don't even practice basic civility anymore--I will let doors slam on people, ignore people who talk to me, curse people out at the slightest provocation, etc. If a minority calls me "f*g" I reply "at least it's better than being a [fill in group here]". This genuinely seems to disarm people. Let them, for a change, feel some of the endless anger that I have dealt with all my life.
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Name: Alfonzo
Date posted: 12/11/2009 11:46:20 AM
Hometown: Phoenix, AZ

Comment:
Yes, it is obvious to all of us, but now we have scientific evidence to back up that claim.
Back to top Post a Comment Report Abuse
Name: Clayton
Date posted: 12/11/2009 3:04:45 AM
Hometown: Chicago

Comment:
Yeah but we don't have the same rights as Jews, Blacks and Women. That's the key difference.
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Name: Etaoin Shrdlu
Date posted: 12/10/2009 11:21:08 PM
Hometown: Farmington, New York

Comment:
News Flash! Psychiatrists have determined that Anti-Semitism depresses Jews, Racism depresses Blacks, and Misogyny depressses Women. Fortunately, they've also determined that psychiatrists stating the painfully obvious inspires mirth in everyone!
Back to top Post a Comment Report Abuse
Name: Clayton
Date posted: 12/10/2009 1:24:56 AM
Hometown: Chicago

Comment:
'opponents of gay marriage say they have nothing against gay people, and that they are only voting to preserve “traditional marriage.” I have no reason to doubt the sincerity of their beliefs.' The author may not but I have every reason to doubt their sincerity. It's bullshit. Gay Marriage and DADT are the last two platforms that people can use to legitimize and intellectualize homophobia. In Anita Bryant's day it was sociallly acceptable to openly bash gays. That's not so ok anymore. Too politically incorrect. I think people look to orgs. like NOM and the Center for Military Readiness and find the language and the legitimacy for a hatred that otherwise would be no more sophisticated than that ever loving term: Faggot! It makes the assholes feel better about themselves. What iritates me is that some gay men and women buy into that sincerity. If you're against gay marriage, you're against gay people. Period.
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Name: RobP
Date posted: 12/9/2009 10:21:09 PM
Hometown: Ft. Lauderdale

Comment:
"Don't get depressed, get angry" Depression is often and classically described as anger turned inward. Don't get angry, get hopeful and get moving.
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Name: Paul
Date posted: 12/9/2009 10:10:56 PM
Hometown: Minneapolis

Comment:
Don't expect the foes of marriage equality to care about this. I care about them about as much.
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Name: 1970
Date posted: 12/9/2009 8:26:47 PM
Hometown: Seattle

Comment:
Anti-gay laws lead to depression? It took a psychiatrist to figure this out? DUH!

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