Greg Louganis and Chad Allen Team Up to Share Personal Battles With Depression
New York, NY, September 27, 2004 – In recognition of National Coming Out Day, the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association (GLMA), the Association of Gay and Lesbian Psychiatrists (AGLP), and pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline launched “Talk About It: Coming Out About Depression,” an initiative designed to generate awareness and foster education about depression within the Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual-Transgender (LGBT) community. At public forums in New York and San Francisco, Olympic diver Greg Louganis and actor Chad Allen will share their personal stories and triumphs over depression in an effort to raise the profile of this condition and encourage others to seek help.
Gay men and lesbians have a higher rate of depression and anxiety disorders as compared with the general population. For example, men who have sex with men (MSM) are three times as likely to experience depression in their lifetime compared to the general population(1). Unfortunately, despite the high risk, depression remains stigmatized and under-recognized within the LGBT community.
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“Anxiety and depression are problems in the LGBT population that have significant public health ramifications,” said Jason Schneider,M.D., Policy Chair of the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association. “We are thrilled to be a part of the ‘Talk About It’ initiative and hope that, with Greg Louganis and Chad Allen, we can improve the public discourse about depression and create a heightened sense of urgency in our community around diagnosing and treating it.”
"‘Talk About It’ promises to be a unique and important forum for learning more about the impact of depression on the LGBT community,” remarked Mary Barber, M.D., President, Association of Gay and Lesbian Psychiatrists. “This will be done in a very powerful way, by hearing from people who have experienced depression and achieved recovery. AGLP is proud to endorse this event, which is in keeping with our mission as a community of psychiatrists that educates and advocates on LGBT mental health issues.”
As part of the “Talk About It” initiative, Greg and Chad will travel to New York and San Francisco, where they will speak about their personal battles with depression. The program will also provide educational materials about available treatment options and encourage community-based intervention by increasing awareness and sparking dialogue among members of the LGBT community.
“GlaxoSmithKline strives to effectively improve the quality of life for all Americans and to keep pace with the developing needs of a demographically dynamic society,” said Bonnie Rossello, Vice President of Cardiovascular/Neuroscience, GlaxoSmithKline. “We are excited to sponsor the ‘Talk About It’ campaign and we look forward to building an ongoing partnership with the LGBT community.”
“Even though I had a very successful diving career, I couldn’t beat back the debilitating symptoms of depression,” commented Greg Louganis. “Dealing with my sexuality, personal relationships, and HIV certainly contributed to my emotional turmoil and took away from the joy I should have gained from my accomplishments.”
“Today I have confidence, experience, and guidance as I learn to walk through depression and anxiety when it appears in my life,” remarked Chad Allen. “Depression cripples so many of us, but no one talks about it. By sharing my experiences, I hope I can inspire other people to get help. Sometimes we hurt, but even when we do, we never have to hurt alone.”
Greg Louganis and Chad Allen: Champions for the LGBT Community
One of the most accomplished athletes in the world, Greg Louganis won six Olympic medals for platform and springboard diving. He is a six-time World Champion and has held 47 National Championship titles. Greg’s best-selling autobiography, Breaking the Surface, details his personal anguish over his sexual orientation and his battles with depression, substance abuse, and HIV.
Chad Allen has been acting since the 1980’s, appearing on such programs as St. Elsewhere, Our House, and Dr. Quinn: Medicine Woman, and he will star in upcoming films End of Spear, from Sony Pictures, and Paris with co-star Bai Ling. He “came out” publicly in a now-famous 2001 article in The Advocate. Citing substance abuse as a method he used for many years to deal with his emotions, and having now conquered his own addictions, Chad works tirelessly with community members in recovery.
Depression: A Real but Treatable Condition
Depression is a common, yet potentially debilitating condition that can lead to persistent sadness, feelings of worthlessness or hopelessness, and a loss of interest in enjoyable activities(2). Although depression is the most common psychiatric disorder in the U.S.(3), the National Institute of Health estimates that most people with a depressive illness do not seek treatment(4), due in large part to the social stigma associated with mental illness(5). In the LGBT population, several unique factors may contribute to depression, including:
- The “coming out” process
- Social stigma associated with homosexuality
- Homophobia • Fatalistic perception of long-term relationship potential
- Sense of alienation from both the straight and LGBT communities
- History of or experience with early anti-gay harassment
- HIV-related illness or fears.
Find more information on LGBTI Health visit the: Temenos Health Page.
For more information on Chad Allen, visit OUTprofiles: Chad Allen
For more information on Greg Louganis visit OUTprofiles: Greg Louganis
References (1) Cochran SD, Sullivan JG, Mays VM. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2003;71:53-61 (2) American Psychiatric Association: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR), Fourth Edition revision. Washington, DC, American Psychiatric Association, 2000 (3) Kessler RC et al. Lifetime and 12-Month Prevalence of DSM-III-R Psychiatric Disorders in the United States.Arch Gen Psychiatry 1994; 51: 8-19 (4) National Institute of Mental Health. Depression Fact Sheet 2002 (5) Anonymous. Reducing the stigma of mental illness. Lancet 2001: 357 (9262): 1055
