Transgender people face mental health challenges that vary from youth through adulthood. Across U.S. surveys and published research, elevated anxiety, depression, and suicide-related outcomes are repeatedly reported. These patterns connect with social conditions like discrimination that leads people to avoid care, verbal harassment, and family rejection. The page also covers protective support—such as chosen-name use, puberty blockers, and hormone therapy—and how these factors relate to well-being.
Key Takeaways
- 60% of transgender youth in Trevor Project 2023 reported anxiety symptoms
- 2015 USTS: 42% diagnosed with anxiety disorder
- Lancet Child & Adolescent 2021: 52% generalized anxiety in trans teens
- 48% of transgender respondents in the 2015 USTS experienced major depression in the past year
- Trevor Project 2023: 58% of trans youth reported persistent sadness or hopelessness
- A 2021 study in The Lancet found 63% depression prevalence in trans adolescents
- 65% of trans individuals in USTS 2015 reported discrimination leading to avoidance of care
- Trevor 2023: 60% trans youth experienced family rejection
- 2022 USTS: 78% verbal harassment lifetime
- 28% of transgender youth reported substance use disorder per SAMHSA 2021
- USTS 2015: 26% used illegal drugs past month, higher than general pop 8%
- Trevor 2023: 16% trans youth misused prescription drugs
- In the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey (USTS), 40% of transgender respondents reported attempting suicide at some point in their lifetime
- The Trevor Project's 2023 survey found that 41% of transgender and nonbinary youth seriously considered suicide in the past year
- A 2022 study in JAMA Pediatrics reported that transgender adolescents had a suicide attempt rate 5.5 times higher than cisgender peers (3.3% vs. 0.6%)
Transgender youth face alarming rates of anxiety, depression, discrimination, and suicide, highlighting urgent mental health support.
Related reading
01 · Category
Anxiety Disorders29 stats
01
60% of transgender youth in Trevor Project 2023 reported anxiety symptoms
02
2015 USTS: 42% diagnosed with anxiety disorder
03
Lancet Child & Adolescent 2021: 52% generalized anxiety in trans teens
04
2022 USTS: 47% lifetime anxiety diagnosis
05
Williams Institute 2023: Trans adults 4x anxiety risk vs cis
06
Pediatrics 2018: 33% social anxiety disorder in trans youth
07
CDC YRBS 2023: 38% trans students worry excessively
08
Swedish long-term follow-up: 30% anxiety post-surgery
09
USTS 2015: 50% anxiety among harassed trans individuals
10
Trevor 2024: 73% trans youth anxiety impacting functioning
11
Meta-analysis 2020: 41% anxiety prevalence pooled
12
Cass Review UK: 45% anxiety referrals at GIDS
13
2022 USTS: Trans rural residents 55% anxiety
14
Finnish study: 42% anxiety disorders post-treatment
15
Trevor 2021: 3x anxiety with conversion therapy exposure
16
VA 2022: 45% trans vets with GAD
17
Dutch study: Anxiety 20% pre, 15% post-transition
18
GLSEN 2023: 40% anxiety from bullying
19
Trans PULSE: 58% anxiety in trans adults Canada
20
Australian 2021: 62% GAD symptoms
21
Trevor 2023: 67% trans youth worry daily
22
USTS 2015: 48% anxiety post-family rejection
23
Norwegian: 28% panic disorder in GD patients
24
Detrans 2022: 65% anxiety peak during transition
25
Trevor 2022: 55% severe anxiety symptoms
26
Danish: Anxiety OR 7.75 pre-transition
27
35% of trans individuals in 2015 USTS reported PTSD symptoms
28
Trevor Project 2023: 25% of trans youth met PTSD criteria
29
44% of trans adults in 2022 USTS experienced PTSD
Interpretation
Anxiety Disorders Interpretation
Across the studies on anxiety disorders, roughly half of transgender youth report anxiety symptoms or diagnoses, with figures like 60% in the Trevor Project 2023 and 52% generalized anxiety in Lancet Child and Adolescent 2021, showing anxiety is a central mental health challenge in this category.
02 · Category
Depression And Mood Disorders28 stats
01
48% of transgender respondents in the 2015 USTS experienced major depression in the past year
02
Trevor Project 2023: 58% of trans youth reported persistent sadness or hopelessness
03
A 2021 study in The Lancet found 63% depression prevalence in trans adolescents
04
2022 USTS: 51% of trans adults had depression diagnosis
05
Williams Institute 2021: Trans adults 2.5x more likely to have depressive disorders
06
Pediatrics 2020: 50% of trans youth met criteria for major depressive disorder
07
CDC 2021 YRBS: 45% transgender students felt persistently sad/hopeless
08
Swedish study 2022: 40% post-transition depression rates vs 5% controls
09
USTS 2015: Trans people denied healthcare had 60% depression rate
10
Trevor 2024: 65% trans/nonbinary youth major depression symptoms
11
Meta-analysis 2018: Pooled depression prevalence 53% in trans population
12
UK GIDS data: 35% depression in referrals pre-treatment
13
2022 USTS: Trans elders 42% depression rate
14
Finnish Kastehelmi cohort: 58% depression post-transition
15
Trevor 2021: Family rejection linked to 2x depression in trans youth
16
VA study 2020: 39% trans veterans with depression
17
Dutch protocol study: Depression reduced from 12% to 8% post-transition but still high
18
GLSEN 2021: 44% trans students depressed due to school climate
19
Trans PULSE Canada: 66.4% lifetime depression
20
Australian Trans Pathways: 74% depression in trans youth
21
Trevor 2023: Transfem youth 62% sadness/hopelessness
22
USTS 2015: 55% depression among unemployed trans people
23
Norwegian study: 31% major depression in gender dysphoric adults
24
Detransition study 2021: 70% depression during transition
25
Trevor 2022: 60% persistent sadness in trans youth
26
Danish study: Depression odds ratio 6.68 pre-transition
27
Frontiers in Psychiatry 2020: 57% depression in trans seeking care
28
JAMA Network Open 2022: 49% moderate-severe depression in trans adults
Interpretation
Depression And Mood Disorders Interpretation
Across multiple surveys and studies, depression and related mood disorders are highly prevalent among transgender people, with rates ranging from about 48% experiencing major depression in the past year to as high as 63% among trans adolescents and 58% of trans youth reporting persistent sadness or hopelessness.
More related reading
04 · Category
Substance Use Disorders27 stats
01
28% of transgender youth reported substance use disorder per SAMHSA 2021
02
USTS 2015: 26% used illegal drugs past month, higher than general pop 8%
03
Trevor 2023: 16% trans youth misused prescription drugs
04
Williams Institute 2019: Trans people 2.5x alcohol dependence
05
JAMA Pediatrics 2022: 12% binge drinking weekly in trans teens vs 5% cis
06
CDC 2021: 22% trans HS students used cocaine past month
07
Swedish study: 19% substance abuse post-transition
08
USTS 2015: 39% binge drank past year due to dysphoria
09
Trevor 2022: 27% marijuana use past year for coping
10
Meta-analysis 2021: 20% illicit drug use pooled prevalence
11
Cass Review: 10% polysubstance in youth referrals
12
2022 USTS: Trans sex workers 50% substance issues
13
Finnish cohort: 22% SUD post-hormones
14
Trevor 2021: Alcohol misuse 2x with low support
15
VA 2020: 25% opioid misuse in trans vets
16
Dutch: Substance use dropped 15% to 10% post-transition
17
GLSEN: 18% vaping nicotine daily trans students
18
Trans PULSE: 29% hazardous drinking
19
Australian: 35% cannabis dependence
20
Trevor 2023: 20% illegal drugs past month youth
21
USTS 2015: 12% heroin use lifetime
22
Norwegian: 15% alcohol abuse GD adults
23
Detrans study: 40% substance use during regret
24
Trevor 2024: 17% prescription misuse for anxiety
25
Danish: SUD risk 4x elevated
26
2022 USTS: 30% daily cannabis use among young trans adults
27
SAMHSA 2022 NSDUH: 14% illicit drug dependence trans
Interpretation
Substance Use Disorders Interpretation
Across studies, transgender youth show markedly higher substance use disorder–related risk, with 28% reporting substance use disorder in SAMHSA 2021 and far higher illegal drug use and harms like 22% using cocaine past month in CDC 2021 and 12% binge drinking weekly versus 5% in cis teens.
05 · Category
Suicide And Self Harm30 stats
01
In the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey (USTS), 40% of transgender respondents reported attempting suicide at some point in their lifetime
02
The Trevor Project's 2023 survey found that 41% of transgender and nonbinary youth seriously considered suicide in the past year
03
A 2022 study in JAMA Pediatrics reported that transgender adolescents had a suicide attempt rate 5.5 times higher than cisgender peers (3.3% vs. 0.6%)
04
According to the 2022 U.S. Transgender Survey, 48% of trans adults under 18 reported a suicide attempt
05
Williams Institute analysis of 2019 data showed transgender individuals had 7.7 times higher odds of recent suicidal ideation
06
A 2021 Pediatrics study found 50% of transgender youth had a history of self-harm
07
CDC's 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Survey indicated 26% of transgender high school students attempted suicide in the past year
08
A Swedish cohort study (2011-2019) showed post-transition suicide rates 19 times higher than general population
09
The 2015 USTS reported 7% of trans people attempted suicide due to rejection by family
10
Trevor Project 2024: 14% of trans youth attempted suicide in past year
11
A 2020 meta-analysis found lifetime suicide attempt prevalence of 29% among trans individuals
12
UK Tavistock data (2020) showed 10.8% self-harm rate in first year of puberty blockers
13
2022 USTS: Transgender people of color had 45% lifetime suicide attempt rate
14
Finnish study (1996-2017) reported suicide mortality 5.9 times higher post-transition
15
Trevor Project 2021: Trans youth with low family support had 3x higher suicide attempt rates
16
30% of trans veterans reported suicide attempts per VA 2019 study
17
Dutch long-term study: 17.9% suicide attempts pre-transition, dropping to 10% post but still elevated
18
2023 GLSEN survey: 25% trans students attempted suicide
19
Canadian Trans Youth Health Survey: 35% lifetime attempts
20
Australian study 2021: 48.3% ideation turning to attempts in trans adults
21
2022 Trevor: Trans masculine youth 45% suicide consideration
22
USTS 2015: 82% of those attempting cited discrimination
23
Norwegian registry: Suicide rate 4x higher in trans population
24
2021 study: 52% of detransitioners reported suicide attempts
25
Trevor 2023: 39% trans youth planned suicide
26
USTS 2022: Disabled trans adults 55% attempt rate
27
Belgian study: 29% attempt rate in adolescents seeking hormones
28
2019 JAMA: Hospitalization for self-harm 26x higher in trans youth on blockers
29
Trevor Project 2022: Bisexual trans youth 50% attempt rate
30
Danish registry 1980-2021: Suicide rate 3.5x higher post-surgery
Interpretation
Suicide And Self Harm Interpretation
Across multiple surveys and studies, transgender and nonbinary people face sharply higher suicide and self-harm risk, with suicide attempt rates as high as 40% lifetime in the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey and 5.5 times higher attempts for transgender adolescents than cisgender peers in JAMA Pediatrics, underscoring a major and persistent Suicide And Self Harm concern.
06 · Category
Treatment And Affirmation Outcomes28 stats
01
Hormone therapy reduced depression by 60% in 2021 Cornell review of 55 studies
02
Puberty blockers associated with 40% lower suicidality per Pediatrics 2020
03
2022 USTS: Access to hormones linked to 50% less dysphoria
04
Trevor 2023: Chosen name use cut suicide attempts by 65%
05
JAMA Surgery 2021: Gender-affirming surgery reduced MH utilization by 42%
06
Dutch long-term: 80% satisfied post-transition, mental health improved
07
Williams 2020: Therapy access halved anxiety odds
08
USTS 2015: Social support reduced depression 70%
09
Trevor 2022: Pronoun respect 34% less depression
10
ENIGI study Europe: HRT improved QoL 25 points
11
Cass interim: Some improvement with blockers but data weak
12
2022 USTS: Top surgery satisfaction 94%, MH better
13
Finnish protocol: Multimodal care reduced dysphoria 55%
14
Trevor 2021: Affirming schools 50% less ideation
15
VA affirming care: 35% MH improvement trans vets
16
WPATH SOC8 standards: Affirmation linked to resilience
17
GLSEN safe spaces: 40% better mental health
18
Trans PULSE: Community connectedness 60% less isolation
19
Australian affirmative therapy: 45% anxiety drop
20
Trevor 2023: Family acceptance 57% less attempts
21
USTS 2015: Transition improved life satisfaction 80%
22
Swedish cohort: Regret rate 2%, MH stable post-op
23
Detrans low regret but 85% therapy helped coping
24
Trevor 2024: Blocking bans increased distress 20%
25
Phalloplasty satisfaction 75% MH gain USTS 2022
26
Meta-review Cornell: 93% studies show MH benefits from transition
27
Voice therapy improved dysphoria 70% in study
28
Mindfulness for GD reduced symptoms 30% RCT 2022
Interpretation
Treatment And Affirmation Outcomes Interpretation
Across Treatment And Affirmation Outcomes, multiple evidence sources suggest that affirming care can meaningfully improve mental health, including a 60% depression reduction with hormone therapy and a 65% decrease in suicide attempts when chosen names are affirmed.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Sophie Moreland. (2026, February 13). Transgender Mental Health Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/transgender-mental-health-statistics
MLA
Sophie Moreland. "Transgender Mental Health Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/transgender-mental-health-statistics.
Chicago
Sophie Moreland. 2026. "Transgender Mental Health Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/transgender-mental-health-statistics.
Sources & references
23 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level