Lesbian And Bisexual Women S Mental Health

Examine the psychosocial factors that affect lesbian and bisexual women’s mental health This essential guide presents up-to-date, evidence-based information that can be implemented to improve mental health services for lesbian and bisexual women in a variety of settings. It examines the systemic factors that play a role in their psychological and emotional well-being, and presents new research on protective factors that play an important role when lesbian/bisexual women face depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders. Lesbian and Bisexual Women’s Mental Health reviews the past literature on mental health and sexual orientationciting biased and inadequate assessment, diagnosis, and treatment approaches currently in use in the care of lesbian and bisexual women. This essential guide for clinicians and researchers presents new empirical research on lesbian/bisexual women’s mental health. It explores specific challenges that face various lesbian and bisexual female populations, with research on: dysthymia depression and anxietyincluding a chapter on depressive distress among African-American women the way that community size and religiosity impact lesbian/bisexual women’s psychosexual development the relationship between shame and a client’s attachment style the mental health implications of same-sex marriage mental health in Taiwan’s T-Po lesbian communitywith a focus on community members’ sexual orientation, gender roles, and gender identity the interconnectedness of sexual fantasies, psychological adjustment, and close relationship functioning in lesbian/bisexual women body image and eating issues As the diversity of this population becomes progressively more evident, so does the necessity for deeper exploration of the mental health problems facing lesbians and bisexuals. Whether you are a student, an educator, or an experienced clinician, Lesbian and Bisexual Women’s Mental Health is an essential resource for relevant and meaningful information that focuses much-needed attention on the mental health of lesbian and bisexual women.

This monograph, that has been co-published simultaneously as Journal of Psychology & Human Sexuality, volume 15, nr. 2/3 and 4 2003, examine the psychosocial factors that affect lesbian and bisexual women's mental health. It reviews literature on mental health and sexual orientation, citing biased and inadequate assessment, diagnosis, and treatment approaches currently in use in the care of lesbian and bisexual women.

Get a full understanding of lesbian mental health concerns! Mental Health Issues for Sexual Minority Women: Redefining Women's Mental Health presents much-needed research on sexual orientation and sexual minority populations missing from most mental health studies. This unique book identifies three areas of concern voiced in a 1999 Institute of Medicine report on lesbian health: whether lesbians are at a higher risk of mental health problems; the need for a better understanding of lesbian orientation and diversity in the lesbian population; and the need to eliminate barriers to mental health care services for lesbians. Mental Health Issues for Sexual Minority Women addresses those concerns with theoretical and empirical work that represents a broad range of disciplines and cultures. Mental Health Issues for Sexual Minority Women covers a unique and diverse range of topics missing from most books on lesbian health. The book includes original research on issues such as: body image and attitudes toward eating and dieting relationship satisfaction and conflicts substance use and sexual victimization risk factors for psychological distress among African-American lesbians and much more! Mental Health Issues for Sexual Minority Women also includes reviews of literature on traumatic victimization, internalized homophobia, and mental health issues for lesbians with physical disabilities. This groundbreaking book is a unique resource for health researchers, clinicians, academics, and students in any health profession, including nursing, medicine, public health, social work, psychology, and sociology.

We know that gender traits and mental disorders are based on social, cultural, personal and physiological background. In order to formulate the best management plan for the patient, the mental health practitioner needs to incorporate all available information. Women and Mental Health provides a comprehensive overview of the most prominent mental health problems in women today. Examining the physiological, social and psychological factors of mental illness, and providing an up-to-date perspective on the etiology of different disorders, the book will help mental health professionals formulate the best management plan for the individual. Covering issues including perinatal psychiatric disorders, depression, eating disorders, schizophrenia, and alcohol and drug abuse - from a female perspective - Women and Mental Health will prove a valuable tool for all those working in the fields of mental health.

At a time when lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals--often referred to under the umbrella acronym LGBT--are becoming more visible in society and more socially acknowledged, clinicians and researchers are faced with incomplete information about their health status. While LGBT populations often are combined as a single entity for research and advocacy purposes, each is a distinct population group with its own specific health needs. Furthermore, the experiences of LGBT individuals are not uniform and are shaped by factors of race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, geographical location, and age, any of which can have an effect on health-related concerns and needs. The Health of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People assesses the state of science on the health status of LGBT populations, identifies research gaps and opportunities, and outlines a research agenda for the National Institute of Health. The report examines the health status of these populations in three life stages: childhood and adolescence, early/middle adulthood, and later adulthood. At each life stage, the committee studied mental health, physical health, risks and protective factors, health services, and contextual influences. To advance understanding of the health needs of all LGBT individuals, the report finds that researchers need more data about the demographics of these populations, improved methods for collecting and analyzing data, and an increased participation of sexual and gender minorities in research. The Health of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People is a valuable resource for policymakers, federal agencies including the National Institute of Health (NIH), LGBT advocacy groups, clinicians, and service providers.

Over the last three decades, the visibility -- and public acceptance -- of self-identified lesbian women and gay men and bisexual and transgender individuals has increased dramatically, making it more important than ever to understand the dynamics of their relationships. This timely work, part of Volume 21 in the Review of Psychiatry series, offers compelling facts and insights in a concise yet comprehensive format, bringing together the latest research and clinical practice in this rapidly evolving field. Chapter 1 details normal adolescent development and the extra challenges imposed by the development of a sexual identity that is different from that of most of their peers, including the lack of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender role models. Chapter 2 presents a rare discussion about theoretical models (managing a concealable stigma, minority stress and resilience, and coping with multiple minority statuses) and empirical data on aging as a stigmatized sexual minority, including the similarities and differences of aging between the sexual minority communities and the heterosexual community and special issues in working with aging ethnic minority gay men, lesbians, and bisexual persons. Chapter 3 breaks new ground by detailing the expanding role of the psychiatrist or other mental health professional as forensic expert and therapist -- requiring not only an in-depth understanding of lesbian and gay mental health issues, but also the often-daunting task of encouraging and teaching judges and juries to better understand these issues as they relate to discriminatory laws in child custody/visitation, workplace harassment/other discrimination, domestic violence, and immigration/asylum. Chapter 4 covers both the three types of etiological theories on homosexuality presented in the scientific literature and an historical overview of clinical attitudes toward homosexuality, from early modern theories (Karl Ulrichs, Krafft-Ebing, and Freud) to the present day, reporting on some adverse side effects of sexual conversion treatment that have been either overlooked or ignored in the reparative therapy literature and raising important clinical and ethical concerns. Chapter 5 examines the public and professional evolution of thinking toward U.S. African race and toward sexual orientation with regard to the reevaluation of the psychiatric diagnosis and treatment of gender identity disorder. Among other topics, the author presents a fascinating discussion of differences between sexual orientation and gender (e.g., anatomical, social, hormonal, psychological, legal, or political), and distinctions between transgenderism and homosexuality, including an illuminating case example. Thought-provoking and informative, this compact volume will be welcomed by residents, clinicians, and students alike as they continue to look for ways to better differentiate health from pathology and successfully treat these remarkably diverse individuals.

Annotation Examines depression, substance abuse, race, the role of religious beliefs, and identity in the lives of gay men, lesbians, and bisexual people.

Over the last three decades, the visibility -- and public acceptance -- of self-identified lesbian women and gay men and bisexual and transgender individuals has increased dramatically, making it more important than ever to understand the dynamics of their relationships. This timely work, part of Volume 21 in the Review of Psychiatry series, offers compelling facts and insights in a concise yet comprehensive format, bringing together the latest research and clinical practice in this rapidly evolving field. Chapter 1 details normal adolescent development and the extra challenges imposed by the development of a sexual identity that is different from that of most of their peers, including the lack of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender role models. Chapter 2 presents a rare discussion about theoretical models (managing a concealable stigma, minority stress and resilience, and coping with multiple minority statuses) and empirical data on aging as a stigmatized sexual minority, including the similarities and differences of aging between the sexual minority communities and the heterosexual community and special issues in working with aging ethnic minority gay men, lesbians, and bisexual persons. Chapter 3 breaks new ground by detailing the expanding role of the psychiatrist or other mental health professional as forensic expert and therapist -- requiring not only an in-depth understanding of lesbian and gay mental health issues, but also the often-daunting task of encouraging and teaching judges and juries to better understand these issues as they relate to discriminatory laws in child custody/visitation, workplace harassment/other discrimination, domestic violence, and immigration/asylum. Chapter 4 covers both the three types of etiological theories on homosexuality presented in the scientific literature and an historical overview of clinical attitudes toward homosexuality, from early modern theories (Karl Ulrichs, Krafft-Ebing, and Freud) to the present day, reporting on some adverse side effects of sexual conversion treatment that have been either overlooked or ignored in the reparative therapy literature and raising important clinical and ethical concerns. Chapter 5 examines the public and professional evolution of thinking toward U.S. African race and toward sexual orientation with regard to the reevaluation of the psychiatric diagnosis and treatment of gender identity disorder. Among other topics, the author presents a fascinating discussion of differences between sexual orientation and gender (e.g., anatomical, social, hormonal, psychological, legal, or political), and distinctions between transgenderism and homosexuality, including an illuminating case example. Thought-provoking and informative, this compact volume will be welcomed by residents, clinicians, and students alike as they continue to look for ways to better differentiate health from pathology and successfully treat these remarkably diverse individuals.