Perceived Social Support and Mental Health Indicators of a Mexican LGBT Sample During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic created mental health challenges for LGBTQ + communities worldwide, however there is a paucity of research on Mexican populations. Existing data show that LGBTQ + people in Mexico experience acute forms of violence and discrimination that impact their mental health. This article explores the relationship between social support, discrimination, and mental health for LGBTQ + populations in Mexico (N = 1525) during the COVID-19 lockdown. Utilizing social media recruitment strategies, participants answered an online survey exploring five mental health indicators: depression, anxiety, stress, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempt during lockdown. Mediating, and multiple regression analyses revealed that neuroticism is the most important variable in predicting poor mental health, and that perceived social support plays a mediating role in the case of depression. Discomfort with one's own family holds positive correlations with mental health indicators, showing that the greater the discomfort, higher levels of depression, anxiety, stress, and suicidal ideation. Results also showed that discrimination, and drug use hold significant relationships to suicidal attempt. Practice recommendations for Mexican LGBTQ + communities are offered.

Emotions, Agency, and Materiality: Embodiment of Homophobic Discrimination Amongst Mexican LGBTQ+ Youth.

Embodiment refers to understanding the body as the object and subject of culture, a process that allows an understanding of political, cultural, social, and emotional processes in the assemblage of a particular identity. We describe a qualitative-narrative study utilizing focus groups and interviews in three Mexican cities with 75 LGBTQ+ youth to understand the effects of discrimination and how this impacts subjectivity through embodied affection. Through axial and line-by-line analysis, we describe the process of embodiment through four dimensions: violence, emotions, agency, and materiality. Violence operates as the sediment for LGBTQ+ youth's subjective, social, and political life, and paves the way for particular emotions, such as guilt, shame, fear, sadness, and pain, that directly relates to material aspects such as gender expression and body presentation, beauty standards and a discourse around perversion and promiscuity. Finally, the combination of emotions and materiality prove relevant for certain expressions of agency and resilience.

Is mental health related to expressions of homonegative stigma and community connectedness in Mexican lesbian and bisexual women? / ¿La salud mental se relaciona con expresiones de estigma homofóbico y conexión comunitaria? Mujeres mexicanas lesbianas y bisexuales

Abstract Despite the need to understand lesbian and bisexual women's vulnerability to mental health affections in connection with expressions of stigma, LGBT studies in Mexico often do not take them into consideration. Current data show that among lesbians and bisexual women, variables such as internalized homonegativity and community connectedness correlate with mental health indicators. The specific relationship between mental health outcomes, community connectedness, and stigma in the forms of internalized homonegativity, discrimination, and violence has not been explored for Mexican lesbian and bisexual women. This paper attempts to identify if this relationship exists through the participation of 150 lesbian and bisexual women who were asked to answer a survey at the annual Sexual Diversity and Pride March in Mexico City 2015. The same survey was available online; both explored internalized homonegativity, community connectedness, discrimination, violence, depression, and alcohol use and abuse. Results show that internalized homonegativity and community connectedness are the strongest predictors of mental health. These results are indicative of how lesbian and bisexual women suffer from the cognitive and emotional consequences of homonegativity in connection to mental health rather than direct discrimination and violence. Lastly, it is recommended that more research be undertaken on this relationship to find interventions that focus on the eradication of discrimination and violence against non-heterosexual women.

Resumen A pesar de la importancia de conceptualizar sobre la vulnerabilidad a la que se enfrentan las mujeres bisexuales y lesbianas en México en conexión con indicadores de salud mental, ellas no han sido incluidas en la investigación sobre salud mental en estudios LGBT. La información disponible señala que variables como homonegatividad internalizada y conexión comunitaria correlacionan con indicadores de salud mental de mujeres lesbianas y bisexuales. Las relaciones entre salud mental, conexión comunitaria y expresiones de estigma por homofobia como discriminación, violencia y homonegatividad internalizada no han sido exploradas en este grupo de mujeres en México. Este documento tiene como propósito explorar esa relación, a través de la participación de 150 mujeres bisexuales y lesbianas reclutadas en la Marcha del Orgullo y Diversidad Sexual de la Ciudad de México 2015 y de manera virtual para contestar un cuestionario que exploraba homonegatividad internalizada, conexión comunitaria, discriminación, violencia, depresión y uso y abuso de alcohol. Los resultados muestran que la homonegatividad internalizada y la conexión comunitaria son los predictores más importantes de la depresión y uso y abuso de alcohol y que la discriminación y violencia no se relacionan con la salud mental. Estos resultados indican que las mujeres lesbianas y bisexuales sufren de las consecuencias cognitivas y emocionales de la homonegatividad y por tal, se requiere de más investigación para explorar el contenido de estas relaciones, así como intervenciones enfocadas a la erradicación de la homonegatividad.

Association between internalized homophobia and mental health indicators in LGBT individuals in Mexico City / Asociación de la homofobia internalizada con indicadores de salud mental en personas LGBT de la Ciudad de México

Abstract Introduction Mental health can be affected by social determinants, including discrimination and marginalization due to systems of oppression, such as heteronormativity. Objective To analyze the association between internalized homophobia, homophobic violence, discrimination and community connectedness and alcohol use and depressive symptoms in LGBT individuals. Method Cross-sectional study in which validated instruments for each variable were applied to a non-probabilistic and intentional sample of 2 846 LGBT individuals through face-to-face questioning during the Sexual Diversity and Pride Parade in Mexico City 2015 and by means of a digital survey tool. Binomial regression models were used to analyze associations between variables. Results Homophobic discrimination and violence, as well as low community connectedness, positively related to depressive symptoms and alcohol use. Discussion and conclusion Difficulties in the mental health of LGBT individuals are associated with sociocultural and internalized homophobia. Eradicating and minimizing homophobia would be useful to improve LGBT's mental health.

Resumen Introducción La salud mental es parte fundamental del bienestar del ser humano y se puede ver afectada por diferentes determinantes sociales, entre los que se cuentan la discriminación y la marginación a partir de sistemas de opresión, como puede ser el sistema heteronormativo. Objetivo Analizar la asociación de la homofobia internalizada, la violencia, la discriminación por homofobia y la baja conexión comunitaria con el consumo de alcohol y los síntomas depresivos de lesbianas, gays, bisexuales y transexuales (LGBT) en México. Método Estudio transversal analítico en el cual se utilizaron instrumentos validados en población mexicana que evalúan las variables de interés. Éstos se aplicaron a una muestra no probabilística intencional en la Marcha del Orgullo y la Diversidad Sexual CDMX 2015 por medio de una herramienta de encuestas en internet; ello dio un total de 2 846 participantes LGBT. Se usaron modelos de regresión binomial para analizar las asociaciones. Resultados La discriminación, la violencia y la conexión comunitaria se relacionan positivamente con síntomas depresivos y con consumo de alcohol. Discusión y conclusión Algunos problemas relativos a aspectos de salud mental que afectan a las personas LGBT se asocian con la homofobia, tanto internalizada como sociocultural. Disminuir y erradicar la homofobia podrían servir como elementos para mejorar la salud mental de las personas LGBT.

Violence narratives of Mexican women treated in mutual-aid residential centers for addiction treatment.

BACKGROUND: Violence against women is a social and public health issue in Mexico. The aim of this article is to explore violence among an understudied group of women, who attended Mutual-Aid Residential Centers for Addiction Treatment and experienced stigma both as women and addicts. These centers are particular kind of addiction treatment services that stem from 12-step philosophy, but that have been found to manipulate said philosophy and exercise extreme forms of psychological and physical violence. METHODS: Thirteen semi-structured interviews were carried in 2014 and 2015 out with women who resided in at least one of these centers to understand their experiences of violence prior and during their rehabilitation process. The interview guide covered questions regarding substance use initiations, family violence and dynamics, and rehabilitation experiences. Qualitative data was analyzed using interpretative-phenomenological analysis. RESULTS: Two categories emerged: violence and substance use and abuse, and violence against women in recovery. Results show that all participants experienced violence in their family since childhood, particularly sexual and physical violence. As a result, participants experienced guilt, sadness and shame, which led them to contexts of consumption. Violence continued as they explored alcohol and drug use, even though women felt empowered. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment reproduced masculine violence constantly, but women felt that they were in a context that helped them understand their addiction. Even though women felt these centers played a crucial role in their recovery, women's particular needs and experiences are not considered in the treatment program.

Experiences of Power and Violence in Mexican Men Attending Mutual-Aid Residential Centers for Addiction Treatment.

Fundamental elements of hegemonic masculinity such as power and violence are analyzed through characteristics of 12-step programs and philosophy immersed in Mutual-Aid Residential Centers for Addiction Treatment (CRAMAAs). CRAMAAs are a culturally specific form of substance abuse treatment in Mexico that are characterized by control and violence. Fifteen interviews were carried out with men of varied sociodemographic characteristics, and who resided in at least two of these centers. Results identify that power is expressed through drug abuse and leads them to subsequent biopsychosocial degradation. Residency in CRAMAAs is motivated by women, but men do not seek the residency and are usually admitted unwillingly. Power through violence is carried out inside CRAMAAs where men are victims of abuse. From a 12-step philosophy, this violence is believed to lead them to a path of recovery but instead produces feelings of anger and frustration. The implications of these centers on Mexican public health are discussed.

Estudio sobre la experiencia de hombres atendidos en centros residenciales de ayuda mutua para la atención de las adicciones / Study on the experience of men treated in mutual aid residencial substance abuse attention centers

Addictive disorders and behaviors have increased in the past years in Mexico. These behaviors and disorders are considered a public health issue because of the social and economic strains they generate. However, the state is unprepared to attend such high demands. Non government organizations have arisen in order to fulfill this demand, but it is known that many of them do not regard federal health regulations and often they have infringed the basic human rights. The present study has for objective to analyze the experience of men who have been atended in self-help residential substance abuse attention centers. Fifteen focalized interviews were carried out with men of different characteristics, all of them having been attended in at least two centers. The results help to understand the consumption dynamic, usually linked to family abandonment and anger. It further analyzes the unhealthy and inhuman services offered in many of these centers such as poor feeding and hygiene services; many of the men are admitted violently and against their will. It is concluded that even though these centers respond to the demand that addictive disorders have, they do not professionally and skillfully support a rehabilitation process. It is thus of utter importance to guarantee the training and proffessionalization of these centers' staff through an observation and regulation process.

Los trastornos y conductas adictivas se han incrementado en México en los últimos años. Estas conductas y trastornos son considerados un problema de salud pública debido a los estragos sociales y económicos que implican. Sin embargo, la demanda de atención ha rebasado las capacidades del Estado, por lo que han surgido organizaciones civiles que buscan responder a dicha problemática, aunque en muchas ocasiones esto suele hacerse sin atender a la reglamentación federal para la atención de la salud y las adicciones, por lo que existen casos en los que se han violentado los derechos humanos básicos. El presente estudio tuvo por objetivo analizar la experiencia de hombres atendidos en centros residenciales de ayuda mutua para la atención de las adicciones. Se llevaron a cabo 15 entrevistas focalizadas con hombres de diferentes características, que habían sido internados en al menos dos de estos centros. Los resultados ayudan a comprender la dinámica de consumo, que usualmente está ligada al abandono familiar y al enojo. Además, se analiza el uso de servicios de estos centros, como alimentación e higiene. Se encontró que muchos de estos hombres fueron ingresados de manera involuntaria y se vieron expuestos a diversas formas de abuso. Se concluye que a pesar de que estos centros responden a una necesidad de la sociedad para atender los problemas de salud que generan las adicciones, es imprescindible garantizar el respeto a los derechos humanos, asegurando la regulación y reglamentación de los centros.