Mental Health Crisis Affects Gay American Youth

A new book addresses the mental health crisis affecting young gay Americans.

New York, NY (PRWEB) December 13, 2008 --

There are over 1.6 million gay teens in America. Gay youth are up to four times more likely to attempt suicide than their peers. Gay students are three times more likely to drop out of school than the national average of heterosexual students. The odds of illegal substance use among gay youth are, on average, 190% higher than for heterosexual youth. Clearly, the clash over Prop 8 and gay rights in this country is affecting young gay Americans' mental health. It is a growing crisis that many do not know how to address.

There are teenagers all over the world today in crisis mode because they fear what will happen if others discover their sexual orientation

They suffer debilitating depression, isolation, addiction, and possibly suicidal thoughts. I hope and pray that not one more teenager will have to live this way, the way I grew up.

I am a lifelong advocate on behalf of mental health issues. I can tell you that Mitchell Gold hits the nail on the head with his book. This crisis must be addressed before harm comes to one more gay teen.

Crisis: 40 Stories Revealing the Personal, Social, and Religious Pain and Trauma of Growing Up Gay In America

A provocative new book, Crisis: 40 Stories Revealing the Personal, Social, and Religious Pain and Trauma of Growing Up Gay in America (www.crisisbook.org), is designed to help parents, clergy, teachers, politicians, and the media understand why this is happening and how to stop it. Well-known successful members of the gay community share what it was like to grow up in American as a gay person and how they triumphed over the challenges. And a number of young people, including college teens, detail personal experiences that make clear the same challenges continue today.

The book's editor and contributor is Mitchell Gold. Named by Inc magazine as one of the nation's most beloved entrepreneurs and by Out magazine as one of the most powerful gay Americans, Gold is a passionate philanthropist, outspoken gay advocate, and co-founder of the $100 million furniture brand Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams. He is also the founder of Faith in America, a non-profit organization dedicated to ending the use of misguided religious teaching to justify prejudice against gay Americans.

Other Crisis contributors include:

Tipper Gore, wife of former Vice President Al Gore, adds, "I am a lifelong advocate on behalf of mental health issues. I can tell you that Mitchell Gold hits the nail on the head with his book. This crisis must be addressed before harm comes to one more gay teen."

Media Contact:
TJ Dietderich
Planned Television Arts
212-593-6305

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