Mental health challenges are common for transgender and non-binary people. In a 2025 mental health survey conducted by Plume Clinic with over 1,500 respondents, 38% rated their mental health as low (0–4 on a 10-point scale). 70.2% had been diagnosed with anxiety or depression in their lifetime. A study found that over 40 percent of transgender adults felt depressed in the past year, which is much higher than the 7% of cisgender adults who reported the same.
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LGBTQ+ mental health statistics show that trans people are more likely to face lifetime mental illness, including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and substance use, than cisgender people. These figures reflect broader mental health disparities that impact the LGBTQ+ community. There are several reasons for this, including societal, cultural, and interpersonal factors. In this article, we will explore why anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues persist among trans people, as well as what factors can protect against negative mental health outcomes.
Why Are Anxiety and Depression So Common in Trans People?
It’s important to note that mental health struggles experienced by trans people are not caused by being trans. Rather, the conditions that trans people are forced to navigate in our society can have harmful effects on their mental health.
According to Ilan Meyer, stress can make people in minority groups more prone to illness. Some people experience discrimination or prejudice based on their identity. This can impact both physical and mental health. He referred to this as “Minority Stress Theory,” which is now widely used to explain mental health disparities across different marginalized communities.
Everyone deals with stress in life, but people in marginalized groups often face more of it. For example, a transgender person who loses their job because of bias, or who is scared to be open at work, is dealing with a kind of stress called “minority stress.” This idea comes from a theory by researcher Ilan Meyer. It says that when people face this kind of stress again and again, it can hurt their health over time.
Factors Impacting Mental Health Among Trans People
Some of these conditions are experienced at the macro level, such as transphobic legislation, living in an anti-trans political climate, or barriers to transition. In July 2025, 948 anti-trans bills were proposed across all 50 states. Data from Mental Health America shows that when anti-trans laws are introduced, more trans people call suicide hotlines for help – a trend that reinforces ongoing mental health disparities among trans people.
Trans people may face stigma or unfair treatment when trying to get basic needs like healthcare, housing, education, or financial support. These experiences can make it harder to stay mentally healthy. For example, some trans people put off going to the doctor because they worry about being judged, disrespected, or discriminated against. But avoiding care can lead to worse health problems over time.
Best practices out of Australia indicate that misgendering and other instances of medical stigma and discrimination can occur at multiple levels: in the electronic medical record, on intake paperwork, between providers, and at a structural level, in gendered restrooms and facility types. Simply visiting a primary care office or filling a prescription can be a minefield for trans people, leading to anxiety and avoidance – factors that contribute to mental health disparities in healthcare access.
Relationships with others can strongly affect mental health. For younger adults, especially, being rejected by family is linked to worse mental health, including higher levels of depression and anxiety. Furthermore, a study of transgender women in Pakistan found that participants who lived alone due to family rejection reported loneliness, emptiness, and a longing for social acceptance.
A third study in Thailand found that trans adolescents experienced greater social isolation than their cisgender peers, and that this social isolation was a significant predictor of suicidal thoughts. Lacking family support early on can impact your mental health throughout life, and contributes to the LGBTQ+ mental health statistics we see globally.
In addition, many trans people face obstacles when trying to get mental health care. This can lead to untreated conditions and worse mental health over time. A 2021 study looked at how patients and providers experienced LGBTQ+ affirming care. It found that transgender women were especially likely to have untreated depression and not get the mental health support they needed. Patients said that some providers didn’t understand their needs or made unfair assumptions about them. They also felt that their identity was sometimes treated as a problem, rather than being seen as an integral part of who they are. This made it more difficult for them to receive the care they needed and contributed to broader mental health disparities in access and outcomes.
What Factors Protect Mental Health Among Trans People?
There are also many things that support good mental health for queer and trans people. One example is having access to gender-affirming care and being able to transition. A study of more than 1,600 trans young adults found that those who had medical and legal support for their transition had lower levels of stress and anxiety. Additional research into trans youth has found an association between starting gender-affirming hormone treatment (GAHT) and lower odds of depression, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts. Mental Health America reports that gender-affirming care has been linked to improved mental health outcomes for adults, too – further underlining how addressing mental health disparities requires access to affirming, inclusive care.
Having a strong network of support can also be protective of mental health. Family acceptance and support by parents, caregivers, and siblings play an important role in the mental health of trans youth in particular. This might mean having someone go with you to doctor’s appointments to speak up for you, or simply having someone to talk to when you’re feeling sad.
Support from peers is also important, both in general and in terms of connection to other trans people. Research suggests that general social support, from both cis and trans connections, can help reduce depression and anxiety. Feeling connected with the trans community is also known to protect mental health. Studies show that transfeminine people are more likely to seek out this kind of connection than transmasculine folks. This might be because support groups are easier to find for some, or because transmasculine people may feel pressure to handle things on their own.
However, support from friends or family isn’t always enough to protect trans people from the mental health effects of discrimination. Research shows that even with social support, trans people who faced harassment or unfair treatment still struggled with their mental health. This speaks to the need for structural change as well — greater access to gender-affirming care, destigmatization of trans identity in public life, and more. Until then, the current LGBTQ+ mental health statistics will continue to reflect these unmet needs.
The world we live in can have a major impact on the mental health of trans people for better or for worse. But a supportive community can help ensure that we never walk alone, and that includes friends, family, and systems of care built by and for trans people.
