Homophobia: Therapeutic and Training Considerations for Psychiatry

Authors: Polansky J.S.¹; Karasic D.H.²; Speier P.L.²; Hastik K.²; Haller E.³

Source: Journal of the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association, Volume 1, Number 1, March 1997 , pp. 41-47(7)

Publisher: Springer

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Abstract:

A ubiquitous aspect of contemporary society, homophobia has important intrapsychic consequences. This overview examines therapeutic considerations for psychiatrists and other clinicians working with patients whose identifiable sexual orientation (whether bisexual, lesbian, “queer,” or gay) is enough homoerotic to be the target of homophobia in latency, adolescence, and young or older adulthood. It explores the relationship between perceived or introjected homophobia, self-destructive behavior, and psychological symptoms. Treatment of patients for whom the homoerotic is part of sexual identity can be improved by educating psychiatrists throughout their training and practice about sexual identity formation, the “coming out” process, the internalization of homophobia, and the integration of sexuality with identity in homoerotically identified patients. Recommendations are made for the individualized, empathic treatment of identified homoerotic patients. The impact of homophobia on the psychiatrist and the psychiatrist in training is also discussed.

Keywords: Homophobia; psychiatry; substance abuse; lesbians; bisexuals; gay men; latency; adolescence

Document Type: Review article

Affiliations: 1: Private practice, 339 Elsie Street, San Francisco, California 94110 2: University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143 3: University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143. Department of Psychiatry, LPPI/UCSF, San Francisco, California 94143

Publication date: 1997-03-01