CHECK Magazin - Gesundheitsmagazin für Männer No.9

Community
it alarmingly clear that we are still a long way
from achieving equal health opportunities for
LGBTI* people. The disparities in health are
attributed to the still prevailing experiences of
stigmatisation, exclusion and discrimination.
Everyday microaggressions are still part of
the life of LGBTI* people. One's own identity
has to be kept secret often or for a long
time and rejection is already expected. The
negative social attitudes towards one's own
sexuality can be internalised to such an extent
that it has a serious impact on one's health.
Conversion treatments to “reverse the
polarity of homosexuals” have only been banned
in Germany since 2020 for children and
adults who do not voluntarily agree to this.
Anyone who is adult and homo sexual today
grew up in a homophobic climate without
positive LGBTI* role models, in which the
term “gay” was still widely used as a swear
word and bullying in school was almost
inevitable. Hate crimes against LGBTI* people
are still widespread throughout Europe and
the number of violent crimes against queer
people is increasing in Germany. Homophobia,
shame and (self-)devaluation that are internalised
early on can leave long-term damage
and encourage alcohol abuse.
So it is not surprising that psychological and
addiction problems in general occur more
frequently in the LGBTI* community. Still,
we hardly hear anything about it. The British
newspaper The Guardian even speaks of a
“silent health crisis” and a toxic combination
of psychological stress, alcohol and drugs
that is not being addressed.
GENETIC
DISPOSITION
metabolism
compatibility
alcoholic parents
conditioning
ddiction motives
FACTORS
OF
DEPENDENCY
PSYCHOLOGICAL
a
FACTORS
NEURO-
BIOLOGICAL
EFFECT
effects on the dopaminergic reward
system and addiction memory
tolerance development, craving,
diff
peer pressure
trauma
other substance-use disorders
withdrawal symptoms, compulsion
alcohol-associated cerebral atrophy
icult social situation
psychiatric illnesses
ENVIRONMENTAL
FACTORS
COMORBIDITY
FOTOS: Lumos sp / ADOBE STOCK, Coprid / ADOBE STOCK
60 CHECK BERLIN #9