We live in a society where poverty is a curse. Women, African-Brazilians, LGBTQ, and indigenous people are viewed as ‘undesirables’ and outcasts.

In a society where poverty, violence, and discrimination are rampant, ‘QUIMIC DEPENDENT’ a person with a different sexual choice is wrong. Worse, people with schizophrenia are locked up without hope of reprieve—the demonizing and criminalization of the unknown and the misunderstood. Young people in Brazil with a history of dual diagnosis face serious challenges.

To open up about one’s own sexuality with family and friends is not easy. Here, in Brazil, I can only imagine how frightening it must be for a teenager who is waking their sexuality and how hard it can be for them to speak up about it—especially in a society where those in power criminalize homosexuality and mental illness.

Young people view the world from a different perspective. Many young folks cannot quite understand their feelings yet.

We live in a society where stigma and discrimination are in the majority–sadly.

In the State of Maranhao, ignorance, and lack of knowledge have led many young people to become addicted to drugs. The idea that homosexuality and mental illness are demonic is an abomination. Young people who are not sure about their sexuality fall into an abyss. Often young folks aren’t sure how to handle thoughts about their sexual orientation.

We need to spread awareness and help them with these issues.

Right now, there is no help and no resources available in the low-income communities. These folks need counselors and mental health resources to address their very ‘normal’ issues with compassion.

Without the right help and emotional support, LGBTQ folks can dive deep into drug abuse. These folks use drugs to escape the harmful and toxic ignorance around them and insolate them with help and compassion. Substance use might be a short-term way out of the misery, uncertainty, and confusion of mixed feelings and not knowing how their own families will respond to their plight.

Suppression of emotions is not an answer for LGBTQ folks, and marginalization shouldn’t be the societal response either!