“Look for and prioritize content that puts a smile on your face, that celebrates LGBTQ+ people in all our diversity, and that features people you look up to who are coping in a healthy way.” He recommends taking the time to be intentional about the accounts you follow. “Make sure your social media is helping you choose health,” says Bond. Unfortunately, that means that when we’re feeling down, we can get swept up in a stream of content that just makes us feel worse. Curate your social media - These days, a large part of our life happens online and the algorithms that entertain and connect us also predict what we want to see based on what we’ve looked at before.“We want to make sure that we’re seen and heard but balanced with conversations about optimism and hope.” “Allow yourself to vent and emote and express all the feelings that you have,” says Bond. Express your feelings safely - Bond recommends finding trusted people to talk to, whether that be a friend, loved one, mental health professional, or all three.“Don’t take your foot off the gas of what you already do to keep your mind and body healthy,” advises Stelter.
Practice regular affirmations - Stelter says daily mindfulness or recurring self-care practice can be a great preventative strategy.Stress can cause tension in your body, and that can affect your mental and physical health.”īond and Stelter recommend several ways to cope: “Always take a deep breath first when you’re feeling overwhelmed. “As best as you can, stay grounded,” says Bond. Leaning on healthy coping strategies, community support - and seeking treatment if needed - can help.” Nicole Stelter, director of Behavioral Health, Commercial Markets, at Blue Shield of California, and an industrial/organizational psychologist and licensed psychotherapist, agrees: “Having your rights threatened, or having your very personhood debated can be traumatizing or re-traumatizing. “That’s because of the stigma these actions are designed to create.”ĭr. “The content of these bills and the criticism of pride-related marketing campaigns are not just harmful and discriminatory, they’re also incredibly detrimental to mental health, especially in young people,” says David Bond, director of Behavioral Health at Blue Shield of California, and a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW). A new survey by The Trevor Project reports that nearly one in three LGBTQ young people said their mental health was poor most of the time or always due to anti-LGBTQ policies and legislation. The impact on LGBTQ young people cannot be ignored.
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