Same-Sex Marriage: Mental Health Perspectives

How denial of same-sex marriage impacts mental health
By Arline Kaplan (A Psychiatric Times exclusive)

A strong link exists between discrimination and psychological distress, according to Robert Kertzner, MD, and Gilbert Herdt, MD, who recently published an article on the topic in the journal Sexuality Research & Social Policy.³ Their research, supported by the Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. Fund, was an analysis of 150 studies and articles published during the past 30 years on marriage, discrimination, and denial of marriage to same-sex couples.

...Asked about the mental health effects of the ban, Haller said, “Being treated as a second-class citizen conveys the message that one is less worthy than others. Lack of equal civil rights can degrade people's self-esteem and can ultimately lead to a sense of negative self-worth, and possibly depression and substance abuse.”

Continue at Psychiatric Times?