Lesbian, gay, bi+ people much more likely to have anxiety, depression

Lesbian, gay, and bi+ (LGB+) adults experienced poorer mental health than heterosexual adults in the Netherlands in 2023 and 2024. They more often had anxiety or depression, sleep problems, and contact with mental health professionals. Bi+ people are particularly vulnerable to mental health problems, Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reported on Thursday.

Among LGB+ adults, 61 percent experienced anxiety or depression, compared to 42 percent of heterosexual people. 33 percent of LGB+ people reported sleep problems, with 19 percent saying it impacted their lives, compared to 25 percent and 12 percent of heterosexual people, respectively. And 24 percent of LGB+ people sought help from a psychologist, psychiatrist, or psychotherapist, compared to 11 percent of heterosexual people.

Bi+ people - people who are attracted to both men and women, or who feel neither male nor female, or for whom gender does not matter - generally struggled the most with their mental health of the groups studied. They more often experienced anxiety or depression (67 percent) and more frequently contacted mental health professionals (33 percent) than heterosexual, gay, and lesbian people. They also more often had sleep problems (36 percent) and felt it affected their daily life (22 percent).

Among gay and lesbian people, sleep problems were approximately as common as those of heterosexual people. However, gay and lesbian people were more likely to experience anxiety or depression (55 percent) and had more contact with mental health professionals (20 percent).

People’s mental health is also linked to their age and gender. Gay, lesbian, and bi+ adults in the Netherlands are on average slightly younger than heterosexual individuals, and bi+ people are relatively often female, CBS said. “However, the differences between the groups can only be attributed to these characteristics to a limited extent.”