Queer Affirmative Approach in Mental Health: A Need of the Hour in Indian Mental Health Care

Abstract

The mental health needs of LGBTQIA+ individuals and the roles of mental health professionals (MHPs) in queer mental health are gaining importance in health care. Queer individuals have specific mental health needs, and the current mental health training and practice are often inadequate to handle these needs. This often leads to conflict between the queer community and MHPs, causing queer people to avoid the necessary mental health care that they need; this will lead to long-lasting consequences. The social stigma related to queer people, the mental health professional’s own cis and heteronormative assumptions, and privilege often lead to these conflicts and non-inclusive care. The queer affirmative approach is a mental health approach, which had shown effectiveness in dealing with the mental health needs of queer individuals. In this viewpoint, we will discuss about the basic concept of the queer affirmative approach, its differences with the usual mental health care, and the process involved in becoming a queer affirmative mental health professional. This will help more MHPs expand their knowledge of LGBTQIA+ mental health and provide inclusive care for queer people.