Final published version
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Coping with the stress of providing mental health-related informal support to peers in an LGBTQ context
AU - Worrell, Shane
AU - Waling, Andrea
AU - Anderson, Joel
AU - Lyons, Anthony
AU - Fairchild, Jackson
AU - Bourne, Adam
PY - 2023/8/1
Y1 - 2023/8/1
N2 - Many lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans or gender diverse, or queer-identifying (LGBTQ) people provide informal support to peers experiencing mental ill health. This reflects both the high prevalence of mental ill health in their communities – often a product of discrimination – and barriers to accessing formal services. In this article, we explore how LGBTQ people who help peers with their mental health seek to cope with the stress of providing such support. Drawing on interviews with 25 LGBTQ people in Melbourne, Australia, we consider how community members being ‘leant on’ engage in self-care practices and seek help from their communities to cope with the stress of their support roles. We demonstrate that participants’ ways of coping, even when similar, can vary in effectiveness and often come with limitations. Thus, we conclude that LGBTQ people providing informal support to peers should be better assisted to do so, in ways that acknowledge the diversity of support provided in LGBTQ communities.
AB - Many lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans or gender diverse, or queer-identifying (LGBTQ) people provide informal support to peers experiencing mental ill health. This reflects both the high prevalence of mental ill health in their communities – often a product of discrimination – and barriers to accessing formal services. In this article, we explore how LGBTQ people who help peers with their mental health seek to cope with the stress of providing such support. Drawing on interviews with 25 LGBTQ people in Melbourne, Australia, we consider how community members being ‘leant on’ engage in self-care practices and seek help from their communities to cope with the stress of their support roles. We demonstrate that participants’ ways of coping, even when similar, can vary in effectiveness and often come with limitations. Thus, we conclude that LGBTQ people providing informal support to peers should be better assisted to do so, in ways that acknowledge the diversity of support provided in LGBTQ communities.
U2 - 10.1080/13691058.2022.2115140
DO - 10.1080/13691058.2022.2115140
M3 - Journal article
VL - 25
SP - 991
EP - 1006
JO - Culture, Health & Sexuality
JF - Culture, Health & Sexuality
IS - 8
ER -