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Lgbt Mental Health

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The Correlations between Mental Health and Faith in the LGBT Community
Specific Aims
• Is it true that there is a correlation between religion and mental health in individuals of the LGBT community in University of California, Riverside?
• How does religion negatively affect college students who identify as part of the LGBT community?
Introduction & Purpose
Looking around in today’s society we can see the immense diversity of people who live around us. The vast differences among each individual in society is shaped not only by their sexual identity but the religion they practice. Religion and spirituality guide the ways that people operate in the private spheres of life, influence health, psychological well being, efforts to cope with adversity …show more content…

Sexuality has always been one of religion’s most important sites of influence. Religion informs social norms regarding what constitutes acceptable patterns of sexual intimacy and outlines the consequences of violating socially sanctioned or religiously sanctioned sexual customs (Halkitis, 252). Research suggests that conflict over spirituality and sexual orientation is not merely myth; many LGB individuals do report internal conflict between their religious faith and sexual orientation, conflicts that are associated with increased shame, depression, suicidal ideation, and difficulty accepting an LGB identity (Lease, 379). My research will be examining the influence of religion on LGBT youth’s mental health because it is detrimental to understand the mind and struggle of individuals who identify as LGBT, especially in today’s society where there is a large spotlight that shines upon them. I want to understand how religion might negatively affect the mental health of LGBT youth, on whether or not there is an actual connection between religion and sexual identity and how to help struggling individuals who identify as anything but heterosexual. Now that more LGBT individuals are coming out, it is crucial to help society understand how these individuals think and how to better help them if they have shown …show more content…

I also felt that my struggle with religion greatly affected my mental health because I constantly questioned whether or not the way I was thinking and felt was due to something wrong with me. Growing up I also had many friends who struggled with their faith, mental illness, and sexuality, by experiencing my study in personal life; I am able to relate to the participants and subjects within my study. By being able to relate to my subjects I can make my research better since I can better communicate with participants and connect with the subjects. I better understand the subject I am studying and I can better explain the data I am conveying. A problem that could arise from this though is that I too biased and not as

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