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to the stresses of living a non-traditional lifestyle, some
emotional difficulties may be more common. Illicit drug
fads within (and outside) the various sexual minority
communities may lead to psychiatric and medical problems.
Sensitive physicians are able to assure their patients that
they are recommending mental health treatment because
of the psychiatric problem and not because of the sexual
behavior.
Sexual minority patients are concerned, often with
cause, that health care providers will pathologize them
because of their sexual identity or behaviors. You will
have better success with these patients if you can assure
them truthfully that you do not consider their sexuality to
be, in and of itself, a problem.