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Homosexuality: The Mental Illness That Went Away[W:335]

Rocketman

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According to the American Psychiatric Association, until 1974 homosexuality was a mental illness. Freud had alluded to homosexuality numerous times in his writings, and had concluded that paranoia and homosexuality were inseparable. Other psychiatrists wrote copiously on the subject, and homosexuality was “treated” on a wide basis. There was little or no suggestion within the psychiatric community that homosexuality might be conceptualized as anything other than a mental illness that needed to be treated. And, of course, homosexuality was listed as a mental illness in DSM-II.

Then in 1970 gay activists protested against the APA convention in San Francisco. These scenes were repeated in 1971, and as people came out of the “closet” and felt empowered politically and socially, the APA directorate became increasingly uncomfortable with their stance. In 1973 the APA’s nomenclature task force recommended that homosexuality be declared normal. The trustees were not prepared to go that far, but they did vote to remove homosexuality from the list of mental illnesses by a vote of 13 to 0, with 2 abstentions. This decision was confirmed by a vote of the APA membership, and homosexuality was no longer listed in the seventh edition of DSM-II, which was issued in 1974.

What’s noteworthy about this is that the removal of homosexuality from the list of mental illnesses was not triggered by some scientific breakthrough. There was no new fact or set of facts that stimulated this major change. Rather, it was the simple reality that gay people started to kick up a fuss. They gained a voice and began to make themselves heard. And the APA reacted with truly astonishing speed. And with good reason. They realized intuitively that a protracted battle would have drawn increasing attention to the spurious nature of their entire taxonomy. So they quickly “cut loose” the gay community and forestalled any radical scrutiny of the DSM system generally.

http://www.behaviorismandmentalhealth.com/2011/10/08/homosexuality-the-mental-illness-that-went-away/
 
Re: Homosexuality: The Mental Illness That Went Away

Homosexuality and paranoia are natural bedfellows - in a claustrophobic society where to stand out as homosexual is to be subject to coercive penalties such as summary discharge from the military.
 
Re: Homosexuality: The Mental Illness That Went Away

According to the American Psychiatric Association, until 1974 homosexuality was a mental illness. Freud had alluded to homosexuality numerous times in his writings, and had concluded that paranoia and homosexuality were inseparable. Other psychiatrists wrote copiously on the subject, and homosexuality was “treated” on a wide basis. There was little or no suggestion within the psychiatric community that homosexuality might be conceptualized as anything other than a mental illness that needed to be treated. And, of course, homosexuality was listed as a mental illness in DSM-II.

Then in 1970 gay activists protested against the APA convention in San Francisco. These scenes were repeated in 1971, and as people came out of the “closet” and felt empowered politically and socially, the APA directorate became increasingly uncomfortable with their stance. In 1973 the APA’s nomenclature task force recommended that homosexuality be declared normal. The trustees were not prepared to go that far, but they did vote to remove homosexuality from the list of mental illnesses by a vote of 13 to 0, with 2 abstentions. This decision was confirmed by a vote of the APA membership, and homosexuality was no longer listed in the seventh edition of DSM-II, which was issued in 1974.

What’s noteworthy about this is that the removal of homosexuality from the list of mental illnesses was not triggered by some scientific breakthrough. There was no new fact or set of facts that stimulated this major change. Rather, it was the simple reality that gay people started to kick up a fuss. They gained a voice and began to make themselves heard. And the APA reacted with truly astonishing speed. And with good reason. They realized intuitively that a protracted battle would have drawn increasing attention to the spurious nature of their entire taxonomy. So they quickly “cut loose” the gay community and forestalled any radical scrutiny of the DSM system generally.

http://www.behaviorismandmentalhealth.com/2011/10/08/homosexuality-the-mental-illness-that-went-away/

Im pretty sure this has been gone over again and again. The gay activists that petitioned the APA were simply asking them to take a look at some new research that had come out and when they did they came to the conclusion that homosexuality is not a mental illness. Also why would you think the APA would cave into pressure from a small group of gay activists but wouldnt cave into pressure from all the much larger groups that got all pissed off that it was declassified? Remember it was declassified during a time where homosexuality was still looked down upon.

Also im sure CC will be here eventually and post the same post that he has posted every single time this has come up and as always no one will even try to respond to it.
 
Re: Homosexuality: The Mental Illness That Went Away

According to the American Psychiatric Association, until 1974 homosexuality was a mental illness. Freud had alluded to homosexuality numerous times in his writings, and had concluded that paranoia and homosexuality were inseparable. Other psychiatrists wrote copiously on the subject, and homosexuality was “treated” on a wide basis. There was little or no suggestion within the psychiatric community that homosexuality might be conceptualized as anything other than a mental illness that needed to be treated. And, of course, homosexuality was listed as a mental illness in DSM-II.

Then in 1970 gay activists protested against the APA convention in San Francisco. These scenes were repeated in 1971, and as people came out of the “closet” and felt empowered politically and socially, the APA directorate became increasingly uncomfortable with their stance. In 1973 the APA’s nomenclature task force recommended that homosexuality be declared normal. The trustees were not prepared to go that far, but they did vote to remove homosexuality from the list of mental illnesses by a vote of 13 to 0, with 2 abstentions. This decision was confirmed by a vote of the APA membership, and homosexuality was no longer listed in the seventh edition of DSM-II, which was issued in 1974.

What’s noteworthy about this is that the removal of homosexuality from the list of mental illnesses was not triggered by some scientific breakthrough. There was no new fact or set of facts that stimulated this major change. Rather, it was the simple reality that gay people started to kick up a fuss. They gained a voice and began to make themselves heard. And the APA reacted with truly astonishing speed. And with good reason. They realized intuitively that a protracted battle would have drawn increasing attention to the spurious nature of their entire taxonomy. So they quickly “cut loose” the gay community and forestalled any radical scrutiny of the DSM system generally.

http://www.behaviorismandmentalhealth.com/2011/10/08/homosexuality-the-mental-illness-that-went-away/

In 1974 in California, you, me and Arnold Schwartznegger would have been declared mentally ill by the APA if we were unlucky enough to be dragged before them in a legal dispute.
 
Re: Homosexuality: The Mental Illness That Went Away

According to the American Psychiatric Association, until 1974 homosexuality was a mental illness. Freud had alluded to homosexuality numerous times in his writings, and had concluded that paranoia and homosexuality were inseparable. Other psychiatrists wrote copiously on the subject, and homosexuality was “treated” on a wide basis. There was little or no suggestion within the psychiatric community that homosexuality might be conceptualized as anything other than a mental illness that needed to be treated. And, of course, homosexuality was listed as a mental illness in DSM-II.

Then in 1970 gay activists protested against the APA convention in San Francisco. These scenes were repeated in 1971, and as people came out of the “closet” and felt empowered politically and socially, the APA directorate became increasingly uncomfortable with their stance. In 1973 the APA’s nomenclature task force recommended that homosexuality be declared normal. The trustees were not prepared to go that far, but they did vote to remove homosexuality from the list of mental illnesses by a vote of 13 to 0, with 2 abstentions. This decision was confirmed by a vote of the APA membership, and homosexuality was no longer listed in the seventh edition of DSM-II, which was issued in 1974.

What’s noteworthy about this is that the removal of homosexuality from the list of mental illnesses was not triggered by some scientific breakthrough. There was no new fact or set of facts that stimulated this major change. Rather, it was the simple reality that gay people started to kick up a fuss. They gained a voice and began to make themselves heard. And the APA reacted with truly astonishing speed. And with good reason. They realized intuitively that a protracted battle would have drawn increasing attention to the spurious nature of their entire taxonomy. So they quickly “cut loose” the gay community and forestalled any radical scrutiny of the DSM system generally.

http://www.behaviorismandmentalheal...osexuality-the-mental-illness-that-went-away/

As I said in the last thread...

1. All changes in the DSM are voted on by the APA because it is a political organization.

2. The Evelyn Hooker study is seen as the "scientific breakthrough" that ultimately led the scientific community to accept that homosexuality was not a mental health problem because the best psychiatric instruments at the time could not distinguish between the psychological profiles of gay men and straight men.

3. There really wasn't a lot of evidence to support putting homosexuality in the DSM to begin with as psychiatrists made assumptions based on the biased population they encountered. Normally, healthy functional people are not the ones who go to see psychiatrists so psychiatrists did not see a lot of functional and healthy homosexuals and they drew incorrect conclusions about how homosexuality affected mental health.

4. Considerable evidence in the past few decades has further supported the removal of homosexuality from the DSM as homosexuality, in and of itself, does not cause loss of functionality in day to day living or create distress in the lives of homosexuals. Those are generally requirements for something to be considered a mental health problem.
 
Re: Homosexuality: The Mental Illness That Went Away

Maybe they should update homosexuality related mental illness to include self-proclaimed straight people who spend unhealthy amounts of time thinking about and working themselves up over what gay people do in the privacy of their own bedrooms.
 
Re: Homosexuality: The Mental Illness That Went Away

Removed without Science? How ironic since it was Added without Science.
 
Re: Homosexuality: The Mental Illness That Went Away

And of course, Rocketman's OP is completely without merit and a complete falsehood that is often presented by the anti-gay crowd... folks who are either too invested in their agenda to actually do the research to find out the truth, or too invested in their agenda to listen to the facts when they are presented to them. Now, many of you have seen me do this before. This series of posts is not for Rocketman... he has no intention of becoming educated on this issue. This post is for anyone who actually IS curious about the facts of this situation and why the APA declassified homosexuality as a disorder.

So, without further ado...

Dispelling the myth of Pro-Gay Politicizing of the APA
Reproduced, with permission from CaptainCourtesy

Part I

Homosexuality has been seen in a negative light for centuries. Early on, it was completely due to the interpretation of Bible passages and because of religious and moral beliefs. Genesis's description of "Sodom" coined the word "sodomy" which by the 18th century, came to describe an act that the Church saw as "unnatural' or "crimes against nature". Homosexuality, bestiality, masturbation, oral and anal sex were all included in this definition. There was zero research or evidence that any homosexual was disordered in any way. This was a moral stance, completely baseless in empirical evidence. No substance, just value judgements.

Karl Westphal, a German physician, was one of the first medical professionals to examine homosexuals, observationally. He concluded from these observations that homosexuality was a "condition "contrary sexual sensation" and claimed it was congenital. As such, he argued, it should come under psychiatric care rather then legal prosecution." He was the first, I believe, to argue that gays should be looked at as having a disorder. Note, this was based, purely on observation and his own theory and beliefs, probably based on the attitudes of the time (19th Century). No research was done. Jean-Martin Charcot, a teacher of Freud's and considered the founder of modern neurology, considered homosexuality to be a hysteric disorder, which, translated to 21st century vernacular, would be a psychiatric ailment. Charcot based this belief on the, at the time, widely accepted theory of "hereditary degeneration". This was a theory, expoused by Benedict Augustin Morel in the 19th Century. It is somewhat technical, but the essence of the theory is that any issue or disease that was deemed incurable, would be degenerative through heredity and damage future generations. Tuberculosis, hysteria, homosexuality, alcoholism, and cretinism were all issues that Morel determined were heredity based, untreatable, and those who had these issues should be placed in assylums and prevented from reproducing. Again, there was no research or evidence into any of these claims. Looking at the list of issue, we know now that this theory is ridiculous, but based on Morel's morals and the lack of knowledge about medicine and heredity at the time. Interestingly enough, the Nazi's used some of Morel's theories to justify placing Jews in concentration camps.

In the 20th Century,Richard von Krafft-Ebing and Havelock Ellis' theories of sexual inversion, the belief that "homosexuality was an inborn reversal of gender traits. Interestingly enough, early on, Krafft-Ebing saw homosexuality as a severe hereditary degeneration (see above), but as he met more homosexuals, he saw it as a normal sexual varient, and not a disorder. Ellis also felt this way.

No discussion of psychology can be conducted without discussing Sigmund Freud. Freud did not view homosexuality as an illness, but rather as the unconflicted expression of an innate instinct based on trauma. He believed that all of us had both hetero- and homosexual traits, but under normal and non-traumatic circumstances, one would act like one's anatomical sex. He also saw homosexuality as an immature, but not pathological expression of sexuality. As with all of Freud's theories, there was not empirical research done; his belief was based on theory and observation, and the tenor of the times.

Late in life, Freud wrote this to a mother, asking him to "cure" her son's homosexuality: "Homosexuality is assuredly no advantage, but it is nothing to be ashamed of, no vice, no degradation; it cannot be classified as an illness".

Continued in Part II...
 
Re: Homosexuality: The Mental Illness That Went Away

Part II

In the mid-20th Century. two theorists/researchers theories propelled homosexuality far further into the realm of pathology. And both were based on flawed beliefs/research.

Sandor Rado argued that Freud's theory of homosexuality was based on a flawed 19th Century theory: embryonic hermaphroditism (the belief that all embryos had the potential to be either male or female). He was correct about this. His error in logic was to then assume that heteosexuality was the only non-pathological alternative. He did no reasearch or provided evidence of his theory.

The Bieber study is often used to prove the pathology of homosexuals, by showing that they could be "cured". The two major outcomes of his study was to show that 27% of homosexuals, treated, were "cured" and in identifying the familial traits of the families of homosexuals. Biber's study had major methodological flaws, and has been widely criticized and debunked. Firstly, he only used subjects that were already under psychiatric care. Secondly, no long term follow-up was done to determine if the result remained. Thirdly, Bieber was unable to produce even one of his subjects he claimed to have cured. Lastly, Biebers conclusions about the familial structure of a homosexual's family have been debunked by the 1981 study of a much larger, nonpatient gay population, a study that is methodologically sound. In essence, the Bieber study, often the cornerstone of the anti-gay agenda, has been shown to be completely flawed and invalid when studying this issue.

The Bieber study was a response to the Kinsey study. Alfred Kinsey, the well-known sex researcher, created the Kinsey scale, through extensive research. Kinsey was one of the first to do evidence based research on a nonpatient population. What he found was that people varied on a scale from "exclusive heterosexual" to "exclusive homosexual" and variations in between. His research showed that at any given time throughout history, 3%-7% of the population was gay. His theories showed that homosexuality was both natural and widespread. Though this had an impact on non-pathologizing homosexuality, as Kinsey's reasearch did not, specifically address this issue, it did not confirm it. The Hooker study, however, did.

Evelyn Hooker's study was published in 1956, and throughout the '60s gained more and more recognition, as more and more studies reproduced here findings, accurately. Here is a great brief description of Hooker's studyu and findings:

Psychologist Evelyn Hooker's groundbreaking study compared the projective test results from 30 nonpatient homosexual men with those of 30 nonpatient heterosexual men. The study found that experienced psychologists, unaware of whose test results they were interpreting, could not distinguish between the two groups. This study was a serious challenge to the view that homosexuality was always associated with psychopathology.
This was the first study that examined, psychologically, nonpatients; the opposite was a serious methological flaw in past studies. Experienced psychologists saw NO difference.

When the first DSM came out in 1952, homosexuality was classified as a mental illness, not only matching with the societal attitudes of the time, and throughout the ages, but matching with the volume of research, all of which, as can be seen, above, was based on poor methodology, research based on observation only, morals, or opinions.

By 1973, the Hooker study, replicated studies showing the same results, and many other studies showing the non-pathology of homosexuality had been published. Yet, in spite of this evidence, the APA held onto it's position that homosexuality would remain a disorder, and many on committees had never seen much of the research proving this inaccurate. It was only when the gay activists, including gay psychiatrists/psychologists pressed the APA to review and examine the research, that they did. When the APA saw the volume of research that showed that homosexuality was not an illness, and examined the methological issues with the research that showed that it was, further discussions were had in order to determine whether homosexuality would be declassified or not.

When the APA voted, 58% voted to declassify homosexuality, which it was. Why only 58% if the research was so conclusive? For the same reason that we see here, at DP, that no matter how much conclusive research is presented that shows that homosexuality is not a disorder, some still hold onto that fallacious belief: bigotry, prejudice, inflexible thinking, morals over logic, and probably some other illogical reasons. Even Bieber, when presented with the evidence, and seeing his own study debunked because of methological reasons, refused to alter his belief. Why? Well, he was described as someone who would not admit he was wrong, even when proven so. Sounds like some folks around here. On this thread, even.

So, was the APA decision to declassify homosexuality as a disorder politically motivated? The politics involved was to force the APA to look at and examine, objectively, research showing that homosexuality was not a disorder, and that the research that showed it was, was flawed. As I said earlier, the concept of politicizing this issue has been misrepresented by the anti-gay side of this issue to appear as if it were something it was not. One can compare this, to some extent, to the black civil rights movement. Was that political? Yes, but not in the way a bigot would make it.
 
Re: Homosexuality: The Mental Illness That Went Away

Part III

In 1981, Ronald Bayer wrote a book claiming that the reason that the APA declassified homosexuality was solely because of gay activists. Bayer, not a Psychologist, but a Professor of Political Science, reported on this, but was not an active participant. As a direct refutation on Bayer's work, the book, "American Psychiatry and Homosexuality: An Oral History" was published 2007. In it 17 APA members who participated in the 1973 APA meeting, are interviewed and discuss what really happened and what the attitudes towards homosexuality was like, at the time. These are people who were actually there, not someone like Bayer, who just reported on this. Here is a description:

Product Description
Interviews and first-hand accounts of an historic decision that affected the mental health profession—and American society and culture Through the personal accounts of those who were there, American Psychiatry and Homosexuality: An Oral History examines the 1973 decision by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) to remove homosexuality from its diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM). This unique book includes candid, one-on-one interviews with key mental health professionals who played a role in the APA’s decision, those who helped organize gay, lesbian, and bisexual psychiatrists after the decision, and others who have made significant contributions in this area within the mental health field.
American Psychiatry and Homosexuality presents an insider’s view of how homosexuality was removed from the DSM, the gradual organization of gay and lesbian psychiatrists within the APA, and the eventual formation of the APA-allied Association of Gay & Lesbian Psychiatrists (AGLP). The book profiles 17 individuals, both straight and gay, who made important contributions to organized psychiatry and the mental health needs of lesbian and gay patients, and illustrates the role that gay and lesbian psychiatrists would later play in the mental health field when they no longer had to hide their identities.
Individuals profiled in American Psychiatry and Homosexuality include:

Dr. John Fryer, who disguised his identity to speak before the APA’s annual meeting in 1972 on the discrimination gay psychiatrists faced in their own profession
Dr. Charles Silverstein, who saw the diagnosis of homosexuality as a means of social control
Dr. Lawrence Hartmann, who helped reform the APA and later served as its President in 1991-92
Dr. Robert J. Campbell, who helped persuade the APA’s Nomenclature Committee to hear scientific data presented by gay activists
Dr. Judd Marmor, an early psychoanalytic critic of theories that pathologized homosexuality
Dr. Robert Spitzer, who chaired the APA’s Nomenclature Committee
Dr. Frank Rundle, who helped organize the first meeting of what would become the APA Caucus of Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Psychiatrists
Dr. David Kessler, AGLP President from 1980-82
Dr. Nanette Gartrell, a pioneer of feminist issues within the APA
Dr. Stuart Nichols, President of the AGLP in 1983-84 and a founding member of the Gay and Lesbian Psychiatrists of New York (GLPNY)
Dr. Emery Hetrick, a founding member of both AGLP and GLPNY
Dr. Bertram Schaffner, who was instrumental in providing group psychotherapy for physicians with AIDS
Dr. Martha Kirkpatrick, a long-time leader in psychiatry and psychoanalysis, both as a woman and an “out” lesbian
Dr. Richard Isay, the first openly gay psychoanalyst in the American Psychoanalytic Association
Dr. Richard Pillard, best known for studying the incidence of homosexuality in families of twins
Dr. Edward Hanin, former Speaker of the APA Assembly
Dr. Ralph Roughton, the first openly gay Training and Supervising Psychoanalyst to be recognized within the American and International Psychoanalytic Associations
American Psychiatry and Homosexuality presents the personal, behind-the-scenes accounts of a major historical event in psychiatry and medicine and of a decision that has affected society and culture ever since. This is an essential resource for mental health educators, supervisors, and professionals; historians; and LGBT readers in general.
Amazon.com: American Psychiatry and Homosexuality: An Oral History: Jack Drescher, Joseph P. Merlino: Books
Some quotes and anectodes from the book:

By contrast, these first-person accounts provide corrective insider views of the process. Several speak of the depressing psychiatric attitudes prior to 1973. Lawrence Hartmann recalls, "The few analysts who wrote about gay people tended to describe them as nasty psychopaths, close to psychosis. I am not making this up!"
Judd Marmor recalls the view that "homosexuals were inherently seriously mentally disturbed, irresponsible, and completely driven by needs over which they had no control." They were supposedly "emotionally immature, deceptive, impulsive, unreliable, and incapable of truly loving."
...gay activist Ron Gold arranged for gays to meet with the APA's Committee on Nomenclature where they laid out evidence from studies supporting gay mental health. Robert Jean Campbell recalls, "They had a lot of data that I had never seen. I don't know where they got it, but I was really overwhelmed by the data."
Campbell argued that the committee should take its own look at the scientific evidence about homosexuality.
Spitzer recalls thinking, "Is there something that they (other mental disorders) all share that I can argue does not apply to homosexuality?" His conclusion was that people with other conditions "were usually not very happy about it. They had distress or...in some way the condition interfered with their overall functioning."
Spitzer continues, "If you accepted what the activists said, clearly here were homosexuals who were not distressed by being homosexual. Instead, they might be distressed by how people reacted to their being gay."
Cure-therapists, mostly psychoanalysts such as Irving Bieber and the zealously homophobic Charles Socarides (whose son is openly gay), were furious and began gathering signatures demanding a referendum to overturn the board's decision. Edward Hanin recalls, "The controversy was led by people who essentially said this was politics intruding into science. It wasn't. The APA Board of Trustees had reviewed very carefully the evidence related to homosexuality."
Judd Marmor agrees: "The fact is that the decision to remove homosexuality...was not based on gay political pressure but on scientific correctness and only after a full year of exploratory hearings and study of the issue. The so-called 'politics' surrounding the decision was subsequently instilled into the process by opponents."
Robert Jean Campbell comments, "I thought the only reason they were worried was that they wouldn't have any patients if this went through. People would no longer go to them for something that was no longer a disease."
Dr. John Fryer, M.D., a psychiatrist who in 1972 spoke at a psychiatry panel on homosexuality, appearing as “Dr. H. Anonymous,” disguising his true physical identity—and even his voice. In those days, to come out as a gay psychiatrist meant a ruined career.
I would take the word of those who were there, rather than that of a reseracher-reporter, any day.

I hope this has been helpful and cleared up a lot of misconceptions. I do not believe that those on the opposite side of this issue will change their mind because of this information. Prejudice and bigotry can rarely altered, even in the light of irrefutable evidence. Thing is, regardless of whether they believe it or not, they are wrong. And that is factual.

Now, since this was originally posted by me 2 and a half years ago, may of the links that I originally used are no longer working. However, I will provide links upon request.

So, in conclusion, the activism to declassify homosexuality as a disorder was to get research examined. Rocketman's explanation has no basis in reality.
 
Re: Homosexuality: The Mental Illness That Went Away

Oh, and the link that Rocketman provided was to someone's blog... nothing more. Further, whoever that person is, is obviously an idiot. He doesn't even understand how diagnoses are made and how criterion are formed. So yes, another complete fail by Rocketman.
 
Re: Homosexuality: The Mental Illness That Went Away

Im pretty sure this has been gone over again and again. The gay activists that petitioned the APA were simply asking them to take a look at some new research that had come out and when they did they came to the conclusion that homosexuality is not a mental illness. Also why would you think the APA would cave into pressure from a small group of gay activists but wouldnt cave into pressure from all the much larger groups that got all pissed off that it was declassified? Remember it was declassified during a time where homosexuality was still looked down upon.

Also im sure CC will be here eventually and post the same post that he has posted every single time this has come up and as always no one will even try to respond to it.

I could care less about CC whose opinions on this subject are never based on any facts
 
Re: Homosexuality: The Mental Illness That Went Away

It is definitely a mental problem and everyone here can't get around that.


The results of several breakthrough studies are offering new insights on gay men, lesbians and bisexuals. Among the key findings:

Several studies suggest that gay men, lesbians and bisexuals appear to have higher rates of some mental disorders compared with heterosexuals, although not to the level of a serious pathology. Discrimination may help fuel these higher rates.
A study found lesbians reported equally strong levels of mental health as their heterosexual sisters and higher self-esteem.
A new study of gay and lesbian youth finds that they are only slightly more likely than heterosexual youth to attempt suicide, refuting previous research that suggested much higher rates.
Researchers say these studies demonstrate the need for better, more tailored psychological treatment for lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) people.

Population-based studies

Several large population-based public health studies are discussed in the November American Psychologist (Vol. 56, No. 11) by Susan Cochran, PhD, an epidemiologist in the University of California, Los Angeles School of Public Health, who authored or co-authored many of the studies. Specifically, the studies find:

Higher rates of major depression, generalized anxiety disorder and substance use or dependence in lesbian and gay youth.
Higher rates of recurrent major depression among gay men.
Higher rates of anxiety, mood and substance use disorders, and suicidal thoughts among people ages 15 to 54 with same-sex partners.
Higher use of mental health services in men and women reporting same-sex partners.

New data on lesbian, gay and bisexual mental health
 
Re: Homosexuality: The Mental Illness That Went Away

I could care less about CC whose opinions on this subject are never based on any facts

I'm sorry...what?!? Clear historical facts are provided; studies that go well beyond anything you have shown are provided; and everything has been rationally explained to you. Yet it is all simply "opinion?" None of the facts are "facts?" Forgive me for asking, but...what fantasy world do you live in?

One can't help but wonder why people like you hate gays so much. Even if everything you say were absolutely true, the existence of gay men and women still doesn't harm you in the slightest. They live normal functional lives, doing things they do not demand or require of others. They are no more violent than heterosexuals, and if their free expression offends you, you can always vote with your feet and walk away. No one turns a child into a "gay." If heterosexual orientation is so absolute then that would be completely impossible for someone who is gay to do to anyone. Even if it is a sin in the eyes of GOD, Jesus TOLD YOU it is not your place to judge.

Yet you spend hours and hours condemning, reviling, and spewing vile commentary about them. So what is your deal? Why is this so important to you?
 
Last edited:
Re: Homosexuality: The Mental Illness That Went Away

Why do we keep having to dispel this asinine notion over and over again? This thread has manifested itself like at least five times since I've been here.
 
Re: Homosexuality: The Mental Illness That Went Away

It is definitely a mental problem and everyone here can't get around that.


The results of several breakthrough studies are offering new insights on gay men, lesbians and bisexuals. Among the key findings:

Several studies suggest that gay men, lesbians and bisexuals appear to have higher rates of some mental disorders compared with heterosexuals, although not to the level of a serious pathology. Discrimination may help fuel these higher rates.
A study found lesbians reported equally strong levels of mental health as their heterosexual sisters and higher self-esteem.
A new study of gay and lesbian youth finds that they are only slightly more likely than heterosexual youth to attempt suicide, refuting previous research that suggested much higher rates.
Researchers say these studies demonstrate the need for better, more tailored psychological treatment for lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) people.

Population-based studies

Several large population-based public health studies are discussed in the November American Psychologist (Vol. 56, No. 11) by Susan Cochran, PhD, an epidemiologist in the University of California, Los Angeles School of Public Health, who authored or co-authored many of the studies. Specifically, the studies find:

Higher rates of major depression, generalized anxiety disorder and substance use or dependence in lesbian and gay youth.
Higher rates of recurrent major depression among gay men.
Higher rates of anxiety, mood and substance use disorders, and suicidal thoughts among people ages 15 to 54 with same-sex partners.
Higher use of mental health services in men and women reporting same-sex partners.

New data on lesbian, gay and bisexual mental health

So you missed the part about discrimination fueling the issues you list?

Its right there in your cite.
 
Re: Homosexuality: The Mental Illness That Went Away

I'm sorry...what?!? Clear historical facts are provided; studies that go well beyond anything you have shown are provided; and everything has been rationally explained to you. Yet it is all simply "opinion?" None of the facts are "facts?" Forgive me for asking, but...what fantasy world do you live in?

One can't help but wonder why people like you hate gays so much. Even if everything you say were absolutely true, the existence of gay men and women still doesn't harm you in the slightest. They live normal functional lives, doing things they do not demand or require of others. They are no more violent than heterosexuals, and if their free expression offends you, you can always vote with your feet and walk away. No one turns a child into a "gay." If heterosexual orientation is so absolute then that would be completely impossible for someone who is gay to do to anyone. Even if it is a sin in the eyes of GOD, Jesus TOLD YOU it is not your place to judge.

Yet you spend hours and hours condemning, reviling, and spewing vile commentary about them. So what is your deal? Why is this so important to you?

Now you resort to lying? I never stated I hated gays, i just don't accept the pc world of making up excuses for degenerate behavior.
 
Re: Homosexuality: The Mental Illness That Went Away

So you missed the part about discrimination fueling the issues you list?

Its right there in your cite.

Again that is an opinion, I posted it on purpose showing how much blame goes on on this subject instead of accepting their own mental defect
 
Re: Homosexuality: The Mental Illness That Went Away

Now you resort to lying? I never stated I hated gays, i just don't accept the pc world of making up excuses for degenerate behavior.

Dude, just reading your posts clearly points to your real feelings in the matter. You don't have to SAY it, you live it. ;)
 
Re: Homosexuality: The Mental Illness That Went Away

One wonders when the next public protests will cause the definitions of mental illness to be altered for other than medical reasons.
 
Re: Homosexuality: The Mental Illness That Went Away

Again that is an opinion, I posted it on purpose showing how much blame goes on on this subject instead of accepting their own mental defect

Excuse me ,but if people like you wouldn't try to demonize gay people all the time,maybe gay people wouldn't suffer so much.
If you want these these people to accept their "mental defect" you should accept the fact that you and your actions are a cause of it.
 
Re: Homosexuality: The Mental Illness That Went Away

Again that is an opinion, I posted it on purpose showing how much blame goes on on this subject instead of accepting their own mental defect

People who are oppressed/abused often have psychological issues as a result.

Blaming those issues on the REASON they are oppressed/abused rather than on the oppression/abuse is a logical fallacy.

I was a small, sickly, bespectacled Jehovahs Witness as a child. But my depression and sense of ostracization was caused by how other kids TREATED me, not who and what I was.

What you and your ilk are doing is ****ting on people and kicking them for stinking.
 
Re: Homosexuality: The Mental Illness That Went Away

Again that is an opinion, I posted it on purpose showing how much blame goes on on this subject instead of accepting their own mental defect

I think you need to look to the beam in your eye...
 
Re: Homosexuality: The Mental Illness That Went Away

Dude, just reading your posts clearly points to your real feelings in the matter. You don't have to SAY it, you live it. ;)

And you are just a liar, my cousin is gay and I certainly don't hate him. How old are you?
 
Re: Homosexuality: The Mental Illness That Went Away

People who are oppressed/abused often have psychological issues as a result.

Blaming those issues on the REASON they are oppressed/abused rather than on the oppression/abuse is a logical fallacy.

I was a small, sickly, bespectacled Jehovahs Witness as a child. But my depression and sense of ostracization was caused by how other kids TREATED me, not who and what I was.

What you and your ilk are doing is ****ting on people and kicking them for stinking.

I was abused by my mother's second husband (beatings) but I don't carry that around as an excuse for failure or self loathing. Mature people move on.
 
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