Prof Gerhard Grobler, Psychiatrist and past-president of the South African Society of Psychiatrists (SASOP)

#TheTakeOffInterview| TRANSGENDER YOUTH AT HIGHEST RISK OF SUICIDE|Despite growing global attention on and acknowledgement of gender diversity, young people who identify as transgender face an uphill battle for acceptance in the face of misunderstanding and misinformation, stigma, discrimination and bullying, putting their mental health and even their lives at risk.Transgender individuals are at an increased risk of mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety and substance abuse, with almost half of transgender adults having suicidal thoughts and nearly a third attempting suicide.Similarly, transgender youth – already facing the physical changes and emotional turmoil of adolescence – are at high risk for mental illness and life-threatening behaviours. Studies have shown that more than a third of transgender youth have a history of self-injuring behaviours and a third report at least one suicide attempt.[iii] While almost one in ten teenage deaths in South Africa year is the result of suicide,[iv] the risk of suicide is even greater amongst transgender youth who don’t receive the support they need.Guest: Prof Gerhard Grobler, Psychiatrist and past-president of the South African Society of Psychiatrists (SASOP)