quality LGBTQIA Mental Health
Dying for Someone to Talk to
Mature men who question their sexual orientation feel that if they come out as gay, they will sacrifice everything they once valued.
The majority of gay and bisexual men maintain good mental health.
But compared to other mature men, gay, bisexual, and questioning men are at a higher risk for mental health problems and suicide.
Through the many years I’ve practiced psychiatry and written about it, I’ve heard about the pain many older men in heterosexual marriages experience.
If they come out as gay, they will sacrifice everything.
Deciding to Come Out
Mature men who question their sexual orientation often feel that if they come out as gay, they will sacrifice everything they once valued. They endure a form of preparatory grief when they face a choice between remaining married or coming out as gay.
In considering coming out, these conflicted men magnify the negatives and minimize the positives.
One study found that the age of serious suicide attempts by gay and bisexual men coincided with major coming out milestones.
