During a Pride Month event in 2022, police officers in Idaho arrested 31 members of the radical white supremacy organization known as the Patriot Front.
The suspects were caught inside a moving truck parked near a rally organized by the LGBTQ+ community in Coeur d’Alene, and carried equipment such as batons and riot shields. This arrest is an unfortunate reminder of the dangers that people who identify as LGBTQ+ continue to face despite societal progress made in terms of acceptance and equality.
Having to live with the knowledge of groups such as the Patriot Front that operate based on hateful ideology is not easy for the LGBTQ+ community. Family therapists who have worked with patients targeted by these radical organizations can tell you about these difficulties. These groups do not limit their activities to the spread of rhetoric; some of them have been labeled as domestic terrorism organizations by American law enforcement agencies, and they are known to take violent actions against minorities as well as against individuals who advocate for social justice.
LGBTQ+ individuals already deal with societal issues such as prejudice and inequality. Granted, we have been making progress in this regard, but we are also seeing an increase of dangerous groups that try to justify their hate and bigotry through political ideology. They don’t even respect Pride Month; in fact, this is exactly what they wish to disrupt.
The mental health and well-being of the LGBTQ+ population should be treated with the same importance as their civil rights. This is a community that has not only been marginalized and discriminated against but also attacked. These are the reasons many family therapists cite when they explain why their LGBTQ+ patients suffer from issues related to anxiety, depression, and substance abuse.
Feeling like a despised outcast is clearly not conducive to mental health, and this is exactly what members of the Patriot Front want the LGBTQ+ community to feel. As can be imagined, this can be unnerving for people who live with emotional health issues. This is a problem that isn’t going away; it actually seems to be worsening because of the abrasive and toxic division present in American politics these days. This also explains why the LGBTQ+ community is at greater risk of substance abuse and dependency; people are more likely to turn to alcohol and other substances if they feel that the catalyst of their problems is always there to complicate life.
At the community service level, we need to let our LGBTQ+ friends and neighbors know that we understand their plight. When they are gripped by mental health struggles or addiction issues that do not respond to traditional treatment, we want to remind them about alternative and innovative treatment options. Talk therapy is highly recommended because many patients benefit from learning practical coping skills; plus, they can also rationalize their situations. When talk therapy is combined with ketamine infusions, some patients are able to break free from the emotional chains that keep them trapped in a cycle of depression and substance abuse. To learn more about ketamine therapy and how it can help with treatment-resistant conditions, please contact our clinic today.
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