LGBTI+ youth twice as likely to experience self-harm than non-LGBTI+ counterparts 

14% of people contacting the BeLong To Youth Services site mental health challenges. Photo by David Paul Morris/Getty Images)

LGBTI+ young people in Ireland are twice as likely to experience self-harm, three times more likely to experience suicide ideation, and four times more likely to experience extreme stress, anxiety, and depression than their non LGBTI+ counterparts.

Research published by BeLong To Youth Services found that 'coming out' remains one of the biggest challenges facing LGBTI+ youth, with almost 60% of young people siting this reason for reaching out for support.

The support service says that most people realise that they are LGBTI+ at around 12 years of age but don't come out to others until years later, on average at 16 years old. 

BeLong To says this period can be highly stressful for teenagers with 14% of people contacting the organisation siting mental health challenges.

CEO of BeLong To Youth Services Moninne Griffith said "Many LGBTI+ people say that coming out to family and friends feels like lifting a massive weight off their shoulders. Saying that, we always remind LGBTI+ youth to consider whether they feel safe coming out and remember that they don’t need to tell anyone until they are ready."

"Coming out is a choice, not an obligation," she added.

Ms Griffith has appealed to parents to be considerate when their children come out as they need their support. 

"Take time to consider what you say and how this might impact your child. Remember that this is not a ‘lifestyle choice’."

Demand for support has spiked this year, with the organisation experiencing an 88% increase in its vital services.