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LONDON (Reuters) - Bisexual people are more likely to have mental health problems than either heterosexual or homosexual adults, a study published on Wednesday found.
An Australian study published in the May issue of the British Journal of Psychiatry found that young and middle-aged adults who identified themselves as bisexual had the deepest feelings of anxiety, depression and negativity.
"It is possible that having neither a clear heterosexual or homosexual orientation is an important stressor, in addition to the social pressures of having a different sexual orientation to the majority," the authors of the study said in the article.
Adverse experiences in childhood and adulthood, poorer social support and financial problems were identified as the main risk factors behind mental health problems in bisexuals.
Homosexual adults also reported such problems, although they were not generally as severe as among bisexuals. But both groups were identified as being more likely to have suicidal ideas or intentions than heterosexuals.
The report came from the PATH Through Life Project, which interviewed 20-24 year olds in 1999 and 2000 and 40-44 year-olds in 2000-01 as the first part of a 20-year study into adult mental health. A total of 4,824 adults in Canberra, Australia were questioned.
The study also found that more women identified themselves as homosexual or bisexual than men -- 4.5 percent of young women and 2.7 percent of older women, compared with 2.7 percent of young men and 2.4 percent of older men.
Of the younger age group, 1 percent of men and 1.8 percent of women identified themselves as homosexual while 1.8 percent of men and 2.7 percent of women said they were bisexual.
In the older age group, 1.6 percent of men and 2 percent of women said they were homosexual compared with 0.8 percent of men and women who said they were bisexual.
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Well, that explains it. I must be insane!
LONDON (Reuters) - Bisexual people are more likely to have mental health problems than either heterosexual or homosexual adults, a study published on Wednesday found.
An Australian study published in the May issue of the British Journal of Psychiatry found that young and middle-aged adults who identified themselves as bisexual had the deepest feelings of anxiety, depression and negativity.
"It is possible that having neither a clear heterosexual or homosexual orientation is an important stressor, in addition to the social pressures of having a different sexual orientation to the majority," the authors of the study said in the article.
Adverse experiences in childhood and adulthood, poorer social support and financial problems were identified as the main risk factors behind mental health problems in bisexuals.
Homosexual adults also reported such problems, although they were not generally as severe as among bisexuals. But both groups were identified as being more likely to have suicidal ideas or intentions than heterosexuals.
The report came from the PATH Through Life Project, which interviewed 20-24 year olds in 1999 and 2000 and 40-44 year-olds in 2000-01 as the first part of a 20-year study into adult mental health. A total of 4,824 adults in Canberra, Australia were questioned.
The study also found that more women identified themselves as homosexual or bisexual than men -- 4.5 percent of young women and 2.7 percent of older women, compared with 2.7 percent of young men and 2.4 percent of older men.
Of the younger age group, 1 percent of men and 1.8 percent of women identified themselves as homosexual while 1.8 percent of men and 2.7 percent of women said they were bisexual.
In the older age group, 1.6 percent of men and 2 percent of women said they were homosexual compared with 0.8 percent of men and women who said they were bisexual.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well, that explains it. I must be insane!
