SAINDO DO ARMÁRIO: O IMPACTO DO APOIO DAS FAMÍLIAS NA SAÚDE MENTAL DE JOVENS LGBTQIAPN+

INTRODUCTION: The study investigates the impact of family support on the mental health of LGBTQIAPN+ youth during the “coming out of the closet” process. The research aims to understand how family acceptance or rejection influences psychological and social well-being, highlighting the relevance of the topic to foster debates and inclusive policies. OBJECTIVE: The study seeks to emphasize the importance of family and psychological support for the mental health of LGBTQIAPN+ youth during the “coming out” process. Specifically, it aims to investigate how family emotional support influences their emotional and psychological well-being, analyze the role of psychological support in overcoming family-related trauma in LGBTQIAPN+ identity, and identify perceptions of the care received. METHODS: The study adopted a qualitative and exploratory approach, using semi-structured interviews and a sociodemographic questionnaire for data collection. Five LGBTQIAPN+ youth from an institution in Teresina were selected based on criteria such as challenging experiences during the process and a lack of comprehensive family support. Bardin’s Content Analysis was employed to interpret the collected data, identifying relevant patterns and themes. The Free and Informed Consent Term (FICT) was used to ensure ethical aspects of the research, safeguarding participant anonymity. RESULTS: Participants' reports highlighted that family rejection had significant impacts on mental health, while others mentioned conditional acceptance, with families tolerating diversity only in external contexts, which generated feelings of exclusion. Furthermore, psychotherapy has proven to be an essential tool for overcoming emotional and social challenges. CONCLUSION: The conclusion of the study highlights that family support is essential for the mental health of LGBTQIAPN+ young people, with family rejection being associated with problems such as anxiety, self-harm and low self-esteem. Psychological support and external networks, such as friends, were fundamental in helping with self-acceptance . The research reinforces the need for public policies that promote inclusion, in order to reduce the impact of rejection and guarantee the well-being of these young people.