June is Pride Month, a time to celebrate who LGBTQIA+ teens are and support others in being themselves. For many teens, this can be a time of excitement and love, but also a time of stress, confusion, or feeling misunderstood. It’s important to talk about how mental health, identity, and risky behaviors, like gambling, can be connected, especially for young people.

Brain Development

Teen brains are still developing, especially the part that helps with decision-making and self-control. This part won’t fully grow until your mid-20s. At the same time, the part of their brain that seeks excitement and rewards is very active. This can make things like gambling feel fun, exciting, and harder to stop. Therefore, teens may be at a greater risk for developing unhealthy habits, like problematic gambling.

At first, gambling might feel like a break from reality. It can bring a rush of excitement because of how the brain releases dopamine, a “feel-good” chemical. But over time, the brain can start to depend on that feeling. This can make it harder to enjoy normal activities like spending time with friends, playing sports, or doing hobbies. It can also lead to bigger problems like losing money, lying, or feeling out of control.

LGBTQIA+ Challenging Experiences

For LGBTQIA+ youth, there can be added challenges. Some teens may face bullying, rejection, or feel like they have to hide who they are. These experiences can lead to stress, anxiety, or depression. When those feelings build up, some may look for ways to escape. Gambling, even in forms like online games, sports betting, or apps, can seem like an easy way to cope.

LGBTQIA+ teens deserve to feel accepted, supported, and hopeful about their future like every other teen. So, it’s important to look out for warning signs, like feeling the need to gamble more, hiding gambling behavior, or feeling stressed trying to stop. No matter what challenges they face today, there are people who care and want to help. There is help available, there is hope ahead, and there is a bright future waiting.

There Is Hope

Since their brain is still growing, they can also heal and change. Even if things feel overwhelming right now, they won’t stay that way forever. With support, teens can learn healthy ways to cope, manage stress, and feel more in control of their choices. Their identity, struggles, and experiences do not define their future.

Reaching out for help is one of the strongest things teens can do. Encouraging teens to talk with a trusted person, like a friend, parent, teacher, school counselor, or coach, can make a huge difference. This conversation can be the first step towards connecting with support services. Most importantly, the available services are welcoming and understanding of LGBTQIA+ youth. An important goal of these support services is to create an environment where they can feel safe being themselves.

Support Services

If you find yourself struggling with gambling harm, or if you suspect someone you know is facing such challenges, don’t hesitate to seek help. For 24/7 support, call the NYS OASAS HOPEline at 1-877-846-7369 or text 467369. Or choose your county using our interactive map on our NYProblemGamblingHELP.org HOME PAGE to see the contact information for the Problem Gambling Resource Center (PGRC) in your region.