Respect and kindness for everyone, on World Mental Health Day and everyday

Editor: As a psychologist, I always take time to reflect on World Mental Health Day (10th October). This year, the focus is on mental health in the workplace and the need for safe, supportive environments where everyone can thrive. This conversation matters to all of us because when people feel valued and respected at work, they’re healthier and more productive.

Employees may be discriminated against at work for many reasons, for example, because of their sex, their race, or their political opinion.
But today, I want to invite you to think about those in our community who face additional challenges—our friends, neighbours, and colleagues in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) community. In my work, I’ve had the opportunity to meet many young people in St. Vincent and the Grenadines who identify as LGBTQ. These young people have the same dreams and aspirations as their peers—to be loved, to belong, and to succeed in life. Yet, many of them encounter unique obstacles that can affect their mental health.

Rejection by family, feelings of isolation, and stigma weigh heavily on their shoulders. When we look at the mental health statistics, they tell a concerning story. LGBTQ individuals are at least twice as likely to experience mental health challenges as the general population. For LGBTQ youth, this disparity is even more stark—they are nearly six times more likely to struggle with depression compared to their heterosexual peers. But behind these numbers are real people with lives not so different from our own.

As LGBTQ individuals move into adulthood, the challenges don’t end. Many feel they have to hide who they are to maintain employment or access essential services, including healthcare. Stigma, fear of discrimination, and the criminalisation of consensual same-sex intimacy create barriers to finding supportive healthcare providers and communicating openly with them.

This can reduce the use of important services like HIV prevention, testing, and treatment, ultimately increasing transmission risks. It is essential that LGBTQ persons are able to live openly and have safe and trusted spaces where they can seek care without fear of judgment or punishment, ensuring their health needs are met. Over time, our society is slowly becoming more open. More people are willing to listen and rethink their views, especially when they get to know someone who is LGBTQ. It’s in these moments of understanding that we see how much we all have in common. LGBTQ people want the same things we all do—to work, to take care of their families, to live honestly, and to be treated with kindness. But we also have to acknowledge that not everyone feels safe enough to live openly. Some of our most promising and talented young people leave St. Vincent and the Grenadines because they feel they cannot be themselves here. This is not just a loss for the LGBTQ community—it’s a loss for all of us. Every person who leaves is a missed opportunity for us to grow stronger together, to benefit from their talents, their creativity, and their leadership. At the end of the day, it comes down to this: we all deserve to be treated with respect, regardless of how we identify or who we love. People are people. We all have the same need for love, for purpose, and for connection. Even if we don’t fully understand another person’s journey, we can always choose to approach them with compassion and kindness.

As we observe World Mental Health Day 2024, which calls us to prioritize mental health in the workplace, let’s remember that LGBTQ individuals are especially vulnerable to mental health struggles—not because of who they are, but because of how they are treated. If we are serious about improving mental health in our workplaces, we need to ensure that all employees, including those from the LGBTQ community, are valued, supported, and safe. By doing so, we create workplaces—and communities—where everyone can thrive.

(Dr Alvis runs a private psychotherapy practice in Arnos Vale)