Study shows gays feel depressed and marginalised
A link between HIV and depression may seem obvious to many who have worked in the sector, but a new study shows it has more to do with being gay and marginalised.
The study published last month by the National Centre for HIV Social Research found HIV positive and negative gay men had higher rates of major depression than the general population.
Dr Christy Newman, who authored the study, attributed the high rates to marginalisation and discrimination experienced by gay men, described in many of the interviews as not fitting in.
While HIV by itself was ruled out as an independent factor, socioeconomic hardship and interpersonal isolation were associated with high rates of major depression among the gay men surveyed.
The study was based on interviews with 30 GPs and a survey of 700 men from high HIV-caseload practices in Sydney and Adelaide. One in four had major depression at the time of the survey.
One participant, 44-year-old HIV positive Lucian, said HIV did have an impact.
Throw HIV into this equation, where people still don’t deal well with it, he said.
One person wants you to fuck them dead without anything and the other person is freaking out because they think you have everything under the sun.
And it’s like, what, who do you listen to? And when do you, how do you find the stillness to just sit in your identity and move on from there? It’s just, to me, a cocktail of craziness at the moment.
Newman said GPs had a heightened awareness for depression in positive patients, and because they frequently developed long-term relationships with their gay patients they were often actively involved in managing the depression.
However, she argued the capacity for GPs to provide ideal level of services to these HIV positive and gay communities was compromised by an increasing number of complicating factors that the GPs had to deal with, especially when patients also used non-prescription drugs.
I have actually seen stable people who I thought were quite well controlled, either their cognitive behavioural therapy or their antidepressant medication, talk to me about suicidal intent coming down off their crystal, the study quoted one Sydney GP.
Chris, I agree, Depression does Kill! My argument is, Does Medication and Counselling really help or doing more harm than good? On a spiritual side, Depression is a period of soul searching where a person goes within. Something Doctors and Do Gooders dont bother to understand. According to Academics, we should get over it and be productive as soon as possible and, “Stop feeling sorry for yourself” Ignorant fools!
Hello Steve,
I have made submissions to the NSW attorney on section 23.
Clover Moore MP has also supported my call for this section to be amended.
I can assure you I will not rest until there are changes in legislation to deal with “provacation”.
Basically a person can kill a gay man and claim a defence of provocation and literally get away with murder.
That’s not fair !
Congratulations to you Steve for making a noise for what you believe.
It is good to have another gay activist around with guts and integrity like you.
Ring Roy in Clovers office and ask for my deatails.
All the best.
Oliver…you self rightous fool ! Depression kills!
of course councelling helps…so does medication.
you really see yourself as the self appointed expert on all matters don’t you? Delusions of grandeur on a massive scale!
No wonder why Gary Burns is a gay activist!!! – well for 2 years now [from 1 May 2007] I have been a gay activist as well and I am only nearly 23. I hope Gary Burns has a website or a contact so I can speak to him about the NSW legislation that needs to be amended so that all/any hate crimes are NOT tolerated in the community and that famous section 23 that deals with “provocation” be amended.
Source: http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/nsw/consol_act/ca190082/s23.html
http://www.clovermoore.com/main/?id=1966
I blame and point the finger at both Kevin Rudd and John Howard for there continuious “gay-marriage-phobia” or “gay-marriage-bashing”.
Depression is a normal Human Behaviour. Does Counselling really help? Being told by an Academic to “Think Positive” and go for a nice walk around the block can do more harm than good.
Wow, you’ve had a tough time Gary.
Simply trying to live one’s life openly as a gay man could lead to depression because gay men continue to receive homophobic abuse and marginalisation because of their sexuality.
This leads to isolation and loneliness in the lives of many gay men.
We have to go throw our lives piggy backing every one else’s intolerance and abuse.
That’s a-lot of unwanted baggage to carry around.
Our body’s are just like the morning cup of coffee once filled to the top.
Once the cup is filled there is nowhere else for the coffee to go.
Our human frailty is no different.
We are vulnerable to depression due to our sexuality in many incidence’s.
I have suffered from on and off depression all my life.
Having to live my life from school age ( age 11) days being whipped by a violent alcoholic father with a stock whip in the misguided belief he could bash the sissy out of me.
Being poofta bashed three times on the street simply for being different.
Waking up in a hospital bed with your mother holding your hand because of others brutality and violence.
Being almost murdered at Marks Park in 1989 by a gang of teenage gay bashers.
It isn’t surprising I am depressed.
My life has been tough,but that’s life.
When I feel depressed I go out and sue a gay hater.
That keeps me busy with no time to get depressed.
That’s my remedy for dealing with my depression.
It may not work for everybody,but for me it beats the hell out of sitting around at home thinking about how fucked my life has been !
I guess what I am saying is we all have to deal with our own depression in a private way that works for us.
I agree it is being marginalized and isolated that leads to depression. This can start for some as early as late Primary School. It only increases in high school. It is a wonder that any come through without the depression in reality.
Peter the article is saying that it’s not HIV that is puts people at risk of depression. it is being marginalised that is the problem, and that starts at simply being gay – so reducing people’s isolation and marginalisation is the first step in preventing depression.
Of course the incidence of depression and suicide is very high in hiv gay men – known fact – there just exists near zero resources to deal with it because almost nobody cares!
Its not just the HIV that suffer depression. Depression doesnt discriminate.
Nicholas, did you even finish reading the first paragraph?
Mmmmm….Really… Threat of HIV could lead to Depression… you don’t say!!! Personally I would be on top of the world if I was potentially exposed to the disease that forces you to take a cocktail of drugs for the rest of your life. Thank you SSO for keeping us up to date on medical issues… this article should be in the British Medical Journal