A new study on prescription opioid misuse rates by sexual orientation confirms what earlier, less comprehensive studies suggested: Lesbian, gay and bisexual people are at a higher risk for misusing opioids, according to researchers.
But the study also raises questions about a worrisome trend in one subset in the LGBT community. If opioid abuse rates tend to be lower among women in general — and they do, researchers say — then why are bisexual women at the highest risk for misuse of any group in the study?
New York University School of Medicine researchers’ new study finds that 13.5 percent of self-identified bisexual women misused prescription opioids in the past year. Compare that to a 5% misuse rate among Americans who identify as straight, and a 9 percent misuse rate among those who identify as gay or lesbian, according to a news release from NYU researchers.
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I’ve often wondered about this. I know for myself, I do believe that much of the mental anguish I experienced relating to my sexuality did influence an eventual addiction to drugs, at least somewhat. This is a very interesting article speaking of a possible correlation between dependency rates and people that identify as homosexual.
Check it out, here.
Calling All Addicts 