Addiction is an issue that affects everybody, regardless of age, gender, race or religion. However, it doesn’t affect everybody equally. There are risk factors that put certain people at a higher risk of developing an addiction than others – a big risk factor is mental health. Addiction can be considered a mental health condition, and it’s often related to mood disorders such as manic depression, and anxiety disorders, due to how often patients of these types of conditions develop an addiction to self-medicate and find a way to cope with their feelings.
In the LGBTQIA community, suffering from anxiety and depression is, sadly, more common than for the rest of the population. This is a community of people who have been largely marginalized, often persecuted and are still prone to discrimination and harassment in the US – and for many, carrying that stigma for decades takes its toll and leads to issues with self-esteem, identity and more. This can lead to self-destructive behavior like an addiction, and if not addressed properly – through professional care and the support of a large network of loving, caring people – addiction and the stigma of identifying as anything non-heterosexual can bring a person to very dark places in life.
Twice the Stigma
While we are in the 21st century, opinions on homosexuality, bisexuality, and other expressions of sexual preference and/or gender are still widely either misunderstood or simply outright shamed. For too many, the world works in a very strict and ordered way, and anything outside that order is to be destroyed – even when it’s in the best interest of millions, all of whom want nothing more than to live a peaceful life at no one’s expense.
Being bombarded from an early age with anti-gay and anti-queer messaging can be extremely difficult for someone who eventually comes to realize that they identify themselves differently than most do. It’s hard to confront the fact that the real you – the way you really feel about yourself – is unacceptable to many. And that can deal a serious psychological blow.
On the Defense
There’s a reason so many in the LGBTQIA community deal with anxiety, depression, or with the consequences of trauma – having an identity crisis that early on and being told that the way you feel is wrong has a lasting impact on an adult, years after childhood. Because of these fears, and the fears of prejudice, discrimination and even instances of assault and physical violence from others, it can be easy to fall into a defensive victim mentality, even going so far as to suppress yourself to blend in and avoid bullying.
On top of that, the risk for addiction is increased among those in the LGBTQIA community because of the potential that addictive drugs have as a coping mechanism for deeper issues.
If you’re gay, queer, bi or otherwise non-heterosexual and are struggling with the difficulties of addiction recovery, then the truth is this – you need to be on the offensive with life. There are resources, institutions and people out there who want nothing more than to help people like you get better and get the help you need. It’s hard being addicted, and it’s even harder to seek help while fearing discrimination – but having a strong support system is necessary if you’re going to get through this.
Importance of a Strong Support System
For those who struggle with addiction while being a part of the active LGBTQIA community, having Allies isn’t just important for you to feel safe and empowered in being who you really are – it’s also important for you to meet new people and build yourself a support network of inspiring and motivational people who’ve gone through the same struggles you have, and have come out the other end feeling stronger and more confident than ever.
Addiction is a curse – but it can be broken. Long-term sobriety isn’t a death sentence or even a curse, it’s a challenge the builds strength and creates a determined person. And just like how being in the presence of support can help you feel free to really express who you are and ignore the stigma you might have faced for years, addiction recovery support systems, group therapy and living arrangements like sober living communities help you feel that you’re not alone, and that you’re not a “bad person”.
Instead, these communities and networks help you understand that you are a part of a greater community of people from all walks of life, all ages and all backgrounds, bound together by a common struggle and the will to inspire each other to do better, and be better.
Without support, we fall apart. This is true for anything. And it’s especially true for addiction recovery. It doesn’t matter if you decide to ignore rehabs and outpatient treatment, or if you enlist and go through every available treatment – you need people around you that want you to get better, and will help you get better. By being accountable to them and by being grateful for their support, and understanding that their actions are proof that you’re worth the time and effort needed to get better. You can gain the strength you need to stand up against the odds in your head and push past every relapse to embrace a new kind of life; one where you don’t have to be afraid of relapsing again or watching life crumble due to addiction.
Learning to Be Who You Are
More than just being yourself, coping with addiction is also about relearning what it means to be proud of who you are – to have confidence in your own identity and know what it is you want to achieve and do with your time on this world. In many ways, the struggle of learning to accept yourself and embrace who you are despite the harsh and jagged opinions out there is something that anyone struggling with addiction can relate to, in and outside of the LGBTQIA community.
For those on both fronts, they must understand that it all goes together – a successful recovery is about being honest with yourself, with the world, and with the circumstances surrounding you. It means not letting cynicism and negativity ruin your life, but instead making the best of what you have – embracing the friends that really care about you, and living despite those who think you’re abhorrent.
You’re not abhorrent. You’re a person – a person who loves, hates, breathes, struggles, and wants to be able to live life without being afraid of your own thoughts or decisions. Learning to be okay with the truth about yourself, and embracing that – and feeling positive about self-empowerment – these things take time and won’t happen overnight. There’s no rush – your pace is your own. And if you ever worry, remember the support that stands with you.