Programs designed to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity are linked to depression, PTSD and suicidality. Researchers say their findings support policies banning all conversion therapy.
https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2024/09/conversion-practices-lgbt.html
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Structured attempts to change an LGBTQIA+ person’s sexual orientation or gender identity — a practice commonly called “conversion therapy” — is linked to greater symptoms of depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and suicidality, according to a study led by Stanford Medicine researchers.
The survey-based study of 4,426 people is the first to explore whether specific mental health outcomes vary by the goal of the practice and whether the recipient is cisgender (identifies as the sex they were assigned at birth), transgender or gender diverse (identifies as neither male nor female).
“Our study found an association between recall of conversion practices and symptoms of depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and suicide,” said postdoctoral scholar Nguyen Tran, PhD. “In particular, we saw the greatest harms in people who had been exposed to both types of conversion practices — those addressing sexual orientation and gender identity. This study highlights the need for policy changes at a federal, state and local level, and an understanding of the lasting mental health impacts related to conversion practices.”
Tran is the lead author of the research, which was published Sept. 30 in The Lancet Psychiatry. Associate professor of medicine Mitchell Lunn, MD, is the senior author of the study. Lunn co-directs The PRIDE Study, an online, nationwide research project he launched with associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology Juno Obedin-Maliver, MD, in 2015 to amass data about the health experiences and outcomes of people who are LBGTQIA+.
[https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366(24)00251-7/abstract](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366(24)00251-7/abstract)
I cannot underscore enough how… Stupid(?) a study linking conversion therapy to PTSD is….
As far as how conversion therapy works, it’s literal mechanism is PTSD. We know this. Conversion therapy “doesn’t work” in the sense that it changes your underlying sexuality or gender. But conversion therapy “does work” in the sense that it does what it is designed to do, which is give you PTSD and then link that PTSD to thoughts about your sexuality and gender. The problem is a) that’s fucked up and evil in and of itself, and b) if you “fix” (as best as you can) the PTSD, you remove the effects of the conversion therapy, and *PTSD can literally be lessened over just waiting a period of time*.
So like…this study is insane to me that it’s probably necessary. Of course conversion therapy is linked to PTSD; it *is* PTSD. It does nothing to a person without PTSD. That’s why even gender exploratory therapy is “less effective” than conversion therapy before it or aversion therapy before that. Vectors of traumatization have been removed *and the “therapy” is a function of that traumatization*.
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Please someone explain this to the British government that is trying to play both sides – they claim to want to ban conversion therapy for everyone whilst very much wanting loopholes for exploratory therapy – they really don’t want to hear that exploratory is just conversion therapy under a different name. No, we must continue to explore every reason you feel the way you do except what’s the painfully obvious one. Can’t just be trans, it must be some kind of trauma. And no points for guessing that how that approach will end up going, with forcing trans people into traumatic situations in the name of “resolving trauma”.
Am I dumb? I thought conversion was to change your gender, in this article it sounds like trying to change sexual preference? Can someone ELI5?
People with sexual orientation problems already suffer suicidality more than without. So… it is biased to see a correlation IMO
Surely such programs are okay when the state is the one designing and funding them?
It’s only when private citizens attempt such programs that the problem arises.
Or am I mistaken?
I identify as God. You can refer me as thy grace, your holiness or Almighty. Please respect my identity and don’t hurt my feeeelings. I am not delusional so don’t take me to therapy and cause me PTSD.
Telling someone that the way they think is fundamentally wrong and sending them somewhere they’re completely uncomfortable for extended periods of time, even though they never hurt anyone for the way they think causes ptsd? Who could’ve ever guessed?