Protestors and supporters gather in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on Oct. 8, 2019 in Washington as the justices hear three challenges from New York, Michigan and Georgia involving workers who claim they were fired because they were gay or transgender.

Anxiety, depression and thoughts of suicide among LGBTQ+ teens and young adults increased to alarming levels over one year, a new survey said.

The survey of LGBTQ+ teens and young adults reported 68% had anxiety and 54% had symptoms of depression. Those were both increases over 57% who reported anxiety and 48% who had depression when the survey launched in September 2023.

The survey of nearly 1,700 youths between the ages of 13 and 24 by the Trevor Project, a national LGBTQ+ youth advocacy group focused on suicide prevention, also found suicide ideation grew from 41% to 47% over the one-year period while suicide attempts decreased from 11% to 7%.

Suicide attempts were higher than estimates for cisgender heterosexual peers. Transgender, nonbinary, and gender-questioning youth and survey participants age 13 to 17 had the poorest mental health and highest risk for suicide, the survey said.

The survey collected data from September 2023 through March 2025, a period that spanned a presidential election and the beginning of President Donald Trump's second term. Survey responses were collected once every six months.

Ronita Nath, The Trevor Project's vice president of research and lead author of the survey's accompanying report, said results revealed worsening mental health "must be understood within the context of the growing socio-political hostility toward LGBTQ+ youth, particularly transgender and nonbinary individuals."

Nath added, "I think it's critical for lawmakers and community leaders to understand the weight of both their words and their policies."

Transgender policies shift during Trump administration

Shortly after taking office, Trump signed an executive order that instructed federal agencies to cut funding or take other action against hospitals that provide gender transition care to minors. Following the order, several hospitals suspended or reevaluated such programs.

In May, a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services report cited a lack of evidence supporting medical interventions for minors seeking gender-affirming care. The report found minimal benefits for puberty blockers, sex hormones and surgery and emphasized their potential risks. In contrast, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association say such care has an important role in improving mental health and well-being of transgender youth.

In June, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Tennessee’s ban on such gender-affirming care for minors. A total of 27 states have enacted similar laws or policies limiting youth access to gender-affirming care, according to an August report from KFF, a health policy nonprofit.

Trevor Project: Rhetoric contributes to distress

The Trevor Project survey cited past research that suggests "anti-LGBTQ+ policy rhetoric can contribute to significant psychological distress."

Transgender and nonbinary teens were nearly twice as likely to report anxiety and suicidal ideation compared with cisgender peers, the report said.

Teens age 13 to 17 also were more likely than those age 18 to 24 to report suicide attempts, depression and anxiety, the survey said.

The survey found conversion therapy − attempts to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity − were on the rise. Major medical groups have described conversion therapy as ineffective and harmful, but the survey found 1 in 5 youths were threatened with conversion therapy. Participants who were actually exposed to conversion therapy increased from 9% to 15% over one year.

The U.S. Supreme Court is considering a case challenging Colorado's ban on conversion therapy, including psychotherapy with no physical element. On Oct. 7, the court heard arguments from a Christian counselor who claimed Colorado's ban on conversion therapy violated her free speech rights.

The survey said an increasing share of youth had trouble getting mental health care. When participants joined the survey, 80% who sought mental health care were able to get it. One year later, mental health care access dropped to 60%. Survey participants said reasons for the diminishing access included affordability, fears about not being taken seriously or the potential for involuntary hospitalization, the survey said.

"These findings illustrate that we have miles to go when it comes to destigmatizing mental health care and making it more accessible to LGBTQ+ youth," Nath said.

If you or someone you know needs mental health resources and support, please call, text or chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or visit 988lifeline.org for 24/7 access to free and confidential services.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mental health worsens over one year for LGBTQ+ youth, survey finds

Reporting by Ken Alltucker, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect