As many of you know, substance abuse is a subject that is near and dear to my heart. Like my grandfather before me, I am an alcoholic. Fortunately, also like my grandfather before me, I got sober. I have been sober for over three years now, after about a dozen years of alcohol abuse, so I understand the horrible throes of addiction and the pressures faced by GLBT addicts. Since my last drink on February 14, 2004, I have been able to reflect on the hows and whys of my alcohol abuse, but only recently have I really begun to make meaningful connections between my alcohol abuse and my identity as a gay man. The first time I drank alcohol was in college—a home-brewed swig with a straight guy who captivated me completely, in his tiny dorm room. Only partially out of the closet, the alcohol allowed me to relax and confess my feelings to my friend, which were rejected politely based on his heterosexuality.

My drinking habit grew like a weed over the next dozen years, blossoming into a full-fledged addiction that threatened every aspect of my life—my health, my career, my relationships, my financial status. Between the ages of 18 and 29, I was drunk far more nights (and days) than not. I took beer to bed with me like a lover, or like Linus with his beautiful blue security blanket. Alcohol was my best friend and my worst enemy.

I know that I am not alone in my addiction. According to Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), approximately 30% of lesbians and gay men have experienced problems with alcohol abuse, and 55% of gay men have experienced a substance abuse problem at some point in their lifetime. The Recovery Connection reports that alcohol and drug abuse affects an estimated 20%-30% of the gay and lesbian population, a rate that is two to three times higher than that of the general population. GLBT substance abuse leads to other problems, including unprotected sex. A recent Michigan Department of Community health survey found that almost 10% of gay and bisexual men had engaged in unprotected sex while high or drunk. Because of our society’s pervasive sexism, it is challenging to locate substance abuse statistics regarding our lesbian sisters. However, in a 1992 survey of San Francisco lesbians and bisexual women, 30% said that they had used drugs other than alcohol; one in seven women had experienced violence while drunk or high; and 29% reported sexual abuse while drunk or high. GLBT youth, given the immense social pressures they face even in today’s "accepting" society, are especially prone to substance abuse issues, leading to continuing addiction issues later in life. In a recent study of gay male adolescents, 68% reported alcohol use, with 26% using alcohol once or more each week. 44% reported drug use, with 8% considering themselves drug-dependent. Among adolescent lesbians, in the three months immediately preceding the study, 83% had used alcohol, 56% had used drugs, and 11% had used crack and/or cocaine.

Many GLBT persons wisely turn to professional counselors for help with their addiction problems. Unfortunately, counselors are not always educated about issues that affect the GLBT community or their GLBT patients, especially in rural areas. Consider these findings from a recent survey of Iowa substance abuse mental health professionals, conducted by The Addiction Technology Transfer Center Network. First, 93% of the counselors identified as heterosexual, and the same percentage of the counselors were Caucasian. Granted, counselors are trained to empathize with all people, but naturally, it may be difficult for white, straight counselors to relate to issues faced by their GLBT and non-Caucasian patients, and vice versa. Also, the following percentages of the counselors reported that they had "little or no knowledge" regarding the following subjects: legal issues that affect GLBT people—73%; domestic partnership—69%; GLBT-related family issues—54%; internalized homophobia—48%; coping strategies for GLBT people—37%; transgender issues—70%. If you live in the Big Apple or Los Angeles, I’m sure it would be easier to find counselors more familiar with GLBT issues on both a professional and personal level. However, for our GLBT brothers and sisters in Middle America, finding mental health professionals who can relate to them and have a solid knowledge base about GLBT issues represents another roadblock on their path to overcoming substance abuse.

So how do we fight drug and alcohol abuse in the GLBT community? Multiple studies have concluded that issues specific to our community trigger and sustain alcohol and drug dependency, including low self-esteem; emotional, mental, verbal, and physical abuse; feelings of isolation, depression, and anxiety regarding sexual orientation and sexual identity; lack of coping skills and social support for GLBT persons, particularly youth; and the fact that many GLBT persons already dependant on drugs and alcohol influence those just coming out. To stem the tide of internalized homophobia that leads to substance abuse and addiction, we need marriage rights. We need hate crimes legislation. We need equal opportunity employment and housing. We need quality, full medical coverage for our partners and ourselves. We need GLBT youth programs and education in every school across the nation, and we need teachers and administrators to adopt a zero-tolerance policy toward bullying, name-calling, and abuse. We need our children to open up their health textbooks and learn that being GLBT is normal and natural. We need to stand up for ourselves and demand full, equal rights today, to ensure our health and well-being tomorrow.