Addiction and Sexuality Addiction and Sexuality

Abstract

The present paper aims at discussing the vulnerabilities amongst the LGBTQ community in comparison to the general population. LGBTQ people amount to a significant part of our society, approximately 11%, and are dealing with specific mental health issues and a significantly higher burden than that of the general population. Like other addictive disorders (SUDs), people with the LGBTQ community are also at a high risk of Internet addiction and other related cyber-psychiatric conditions. Upcoming research has identified the problematic use of the internet amongst sexual minorities, which has become a concern regarding their habit-forming nature and potential abuse. Technology today controls every aspect of our lives, creating stumbling blocks in various domains. It has become crucial to address behavioral addiction via increasing awareness about its risk and mindful use of technology; early identification of the problem and its management. This paper outlines the definition of internet addiction and its related consequences along with social media addiction, dating applications, and sexual addiction among the LGBTQ community. It also briefly discusses the current scenario of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on these addictive behaviors amongst sexual minorities.