Young LGBTQI people are more likely than their peers to seek professional mental health support but less inclined to turn to their family or friends for help, a survey shows.
The Headspace finding has prompted a push for families to educate themselves about the experiences of young LGBTQI people and learn how to best openly support them.
Doing so showed young people they were loved and their families were there for them, Headspace national clinical advisor Rupert Saunders said.
"Young people who come from families that fully support their sexuality and gender identity have better overall health, mental health and higher self-esteem," he said.
Headspace found 76 per cent of young LGBTQI people would seek professional help if they had a mental health problem, compared with 69 per cent of heterosexual and cisgender youth.
However, 39 per cent of young LGBTQI people turned to their family or friends for support, 10 per cent fewer than their peers.
Of the young people coming to Headspace centres in the past year, 30 per cent were part of the LGBTQI community.
"Mental health services like headspace are important for young people who identify as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, who the survey also found were significantly more likely to report high or very high levels of psychological distress, or to experience loneliness and isolation," Mr Saunders said.
"It's heartening to see so many LGBTQIA+ young people know help is available and that they trust Headspace to support them in tough times."
The results come from Headspace's latest National Youth Mental Health Survey.
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