THREE YEARS ON from the success of the marriage equality referendum, 90% of LGBTI+ young people still struggle with their mental health.

Nearly half (49%) of the youth surveyed felt reluctant to open up about their mental health due to perceived expectations from wider society that they should feel happy post-referendum. 

This is according to research from BeLonG To, a youth service for LGBTI+ young people that launched a campaign called Better Out Than In earlier this week, to encourage their members to seek help if, and when, they need it.

Jamie O’Herlihy, ambassador for the campaign, talks about her experiences dealing with her mental health when she was first coming out. 

She says that she had to come out three times: first as bisexual, then gay, and then finally as trans, which she said was hard on her mental health as each experience was isolating and lonely, even in spite of support from friends and family.