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Suicide Risk and Conversion Therapy: The Data Every Christian Parent Should See Before Deciding
Peer-reviewed research links conversion therapy to significantly higher rates of suicide attempts and suicidal thoughts among young people.
Quick Takeaways
Peer-reviewed research links conversion therapy to significantly higher rates of suicide attempts and suicidal thoughts among young people.
Children placed in "conversion therapy" experience it as family rejection, which is tied to an 8.4x increase in suicide attempts (Pediatrics).
A 2022 JAMA Pediatrics study estimated that the harms of conversion therapy cost American families and taxpayers more than $9 billion yearly.
A New Jersey jury unanimously ruled that conversion therapy constitutes consumer fraud.
Christian parents can protect their children and honor their faith without turning to practices that endanger kids.
When your child comes to you with something unexpected, whether they say they're same-sex attracted or seeing themselves differently, the fear can be overwhelming. You want to protect them and do the right thing before God. You may hear about conversion therapy as a way to help.
Before making that decision, you deserve to see what the research on mental health and conversion therapy shows about what happens to kids who go through these programs.
What the Data Says About Suicide Risk
Conversion therapy is linked to a sharp increase in suicide attempts and suicidal thoughts among young people, according to multiple peer-reviewed studies.
Research from the Williams Institute at UCLA found that people who experienced conversion therapy were nearly twice as likely to report suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts. For teens, the numbers are starker: minors exposed are more than twice as likely to attempt suicide.
A study in Pediatrics found that young people experiencing high family rejection are 8.4 times more likely to attempt suicide, 5.9 times more likely to report severe depression, and 3.4 times more likely to use illegal drugs. Children experience conversion therapy as rejection, even when parents pursue it out of love, and the practices harm kids and fracture families in lasting ways.
Not 8 percent more likely. Eight times more likely.
The Financial Cost of a Practice That Doesn't Work
A 2022 evaluation in JAMA Pediatrics estimated the total annual cost of conversion therapy and its harms among young people at $9.23 billion, including costs from depression, anxiety, substance use, and suicide attempts.
Families pay thousands for programs with no credible track record of success. In 2015, a New Jersey jury in Ferguson v. JONAH unanimously found a conversion therapy provider guilty of consumer fraud. The judge stated there was "no factual basis" for its advertised success rates. The organization paid $72,400 and permanently shut down. Today, more than two dozen states have enacted protections to shield families from these practices.
When something has no evidence of working but dramatically increases suicide attempts, that is not therapy. That is harm sold as hope.
Real Families, Real Consequences
Linda Robertson, a devout Christian mother, sought out conversion therapy for her son Ryan after he came out at age 12. Following the advice of well-known organizations, Ryan spent six years memorizing scripture, attending youth groups, and begging God to change him. Nothing changed except that Ryan learned to hate himself. He turned to drugs to cope with the agony "conversion therapy" created, and died in 2009.
"Conversion therapy did nothing to change Ryan's sexuality," Linda has said. "Instead, it taught Ryan that he couldn't be accepted or loved by God as he was, and it destroyed his bond with me."
Paulette Trimmer told the U.S. Supreme Court her child barely came home alive. These are not outliers. They represent what research confirms: "conversion therapy" does not just fail. It endangers lives.
What Christian Parents Can Do Instead
You do not have to choose between your faith and your child's safety. If your child has recently shared something about who they are, there are first steps that honor both your beliefs and your child. Faith-focused counselors who prioritize family connection exist in every state. Resources like FreedHearts and Fortunate Families offer guidance grounded in scripture and compassion.
The safest path forward is the one your family walks together.
FAQs
How much does conversion therapy increase suicidal tendencies risk in young people?
Conversion therapy significantly increases the risk of suicide attempts risk among kids and teens. The Williams Institute found those who experienced these practices were nearly twice as likely to attempt suicide. A study in Pediatrics (Ryan et al., 2009) found minors experiencing high family rejection are 8.4 times more likely to attempt suicide.
Is conversion therapy considered fraud?
Yes. In Ferguson v. JONAH (2015), a New Jersey jury unanimously ruled conversion therapy constitutes consumer fraud, finding "no factual basis" for its advertised success rates. The provider paid damages and closed permanently. The Chiles v. Salazar ruling has further shaped the legal landscape.
Do major medical organizations oppose conversion therapy?
Every major medical and mental health organization in the United States, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association, and the American Psychological Association, opposes conversion therapy as ineffective and harmful.
Can Christian parents support a gay or transgender child and still honor their faith?
Yes. Many Christian families have found faith-aligned ways to stand by their children. Faith-focused licensed counselors, pastoral care, and community organizations offer guidance rooted in scripture and compassion.
Publicaciones recientes
Suicide Risk and Conversion Therapy: The Data Every Christian Parent Should See Before Deciding
Peer-reviewed research links conversion therapy to significantly higher rates of suicide attempts and suicidal thoughts among young people.
Quick Takeaways
Peer-reviewed research links conversion therapy to significantly higher rates of suicide attempts and suicidal thoughts among young people.
Children placed in "conversion therapy" experience it as family rejection, which is tied to an 8.4x increase in suicide attempts (Pediatrics).
A 2022 JAMA Pediatrics study estimated that the harms of conversion therapy cost American families and taxpayers more than $9 billion yearly.
A New Jersey jury unanimously ruled that conversion therapy constitutes consumer fraud.
Christian parents can protect their children and honor their faith without turning to practices that endanger kids.
When your child comes to you with something unexpected, whether they say they're same-sex attracted or seeing themselves differently, the fear can be overwhelming. You want to protect them and do the right thing before God. You may hear about conversion therapy as a way to help.
Before making that decision, you deserve to see what the research on mental health and conversion therapy shows about what happens to kids who go through these programs.
What the Data Says About Suicide Risk
Conversion therapy is linked to a sharp increase in suicide attempts and suicidal thoughts among young people, according to multiple peer-reviewed studies.
Research from the Williams Institute at UCLA found that people who experienced conversion therapy were nearly twice as likely to report suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts. For teens, the numbers are starker: minors exposed are more than twice as likely to attempt suicide.
A study in Pediatrics found that young people experiencing high family rejection are 8.4 times more likely to attempt suicide, 5.9 times more likely to report severe depression, and 3.4 times more likely to use illegal drugs. Children experience conversion therapy as rejection, even when parents pursue it out of love, and the practices harm kids and fracture families in lasting ways.
Not 8 percent more likely. Eight times more likely.
The Financial Cost of a Practice That Doesn't Work
A 2022 evaluation in JAMA Pediatrics estimated the total annual cost of conversion therapy and its harms among young people at $9.23 billion, including costs from depression, anxiety, substance use, and suicide attempts.
Families pay thousands for programs with no credible track record of success. In 2015, a New Jersey jury in Ferguson v. JONAH unanimously found a conversion therapy provider guilty of consumer fraud. The judge stated there was "no factual basis" for its advertised success rates. The organization paid $72,400 and permanently shut down. Today, more than two dozen states have enacted protections to shield families from these practices.
When something has no evidence of working but dramatically increases suicide attempts, that is not therapy. That is harm sold as hope.
Real Families, Real Consequences
Linda Robertson, a devout Christian mother, sought out conversion therapy for her son Ryan after he came out at age 12. Following the advice of well-known organizations, Ryan spent six years memorizing scripture, attending youth groups, and begging God to change him. Nothing changed except that Ryan learned to hate himself. He turned to drugs to cope with the agony "conversion therapy" created, and died in 2009.
"Conversion therapy did nothing to change Ryan's sexuality," Linda has said. "Instead, it taught Ryan that he couldn't be accepted or loved by God as he was, and it destroyed his bond with me."
Paulette Trimmer told the U.S. Supreme Court her child barely came home alive. These are not outliers. They represent what research confirms: "conversion therapy" does not just fail. It endangers lives.
What Christian Parents Can Do Instead
You do not have to choose between your faith and your child's safety. If your child has recently shared something about who they are, there are first steps that honor both your beliefs and your child. Faith-focused counselors who prioritize family connection exist in every state. Resources like FreedHearts and Fortunate Families offer guidance grounded in scripture and compassion.
The safest path forward is the one your family walks together.
FAQs
How much does conversion therapy increase suicidal tendencies risk in young people?
Conversion therapy significantly increases the risk of suicide attempts risk among kids and teens. The Williams Institute found those who experienced these practices were nearly twice as likely to attempt suicide. A study in Pediatrics (Ryan et al., 2009) found minors experiencing high family rejection are 8.4 times more likely to attempt suicide.
Is conversion therapy considered fraud?
Yes. In Ferguson v. JONAH (2015), a New Jersey jury unanimously ruled conversion therapy constitutes consumer fraud, finding "no factual basis" for its advertised success rates. The provider paid damages and closed permanently. The Chiles v. Salazar ruling has further shaped the legal landscape.
Do major medical organizations oppose conversion therapy?
Every major medical and mental health organization in the United States, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association, and the American Psychological Association, opposes conversion therapy as ineffective and harmful.
Can Christian parents support a gay or transgender child and still honor their faith?
Yes. Many Christian families have found faith-aligned ways to stand by their children. Faith-focused licensed counselors, pastoral care, and community organizations offer guidance rooted in scripture and compassion.
Publicaciones recientes
Suicide Risk and Conversion Therapy: The Data Every Christian Parent Should See Before Deciding
Peer-reviewed research links conversion therapy to significantly higher rates of suicide attempts and suicidal thoughts among young people.
Quick Takeaways
Peer-reviewed research links conversion therapy to significantly higher rates of suicide attempts and suicidal thoughts among young people.
Children placed in "conversion therapy" experience it as family rejection, which is tied to an 8.4x increase in suicide attempts (Pediatrics).
A 2022 JAMA Pediatrics study estimated that the harms of conversion therapy cost American families and taxpayers more than $9 billion yearly.
A New Jersey jury unanimously ruled that conversion therapy constitutes consumer fraud.
Christian parents can protect their children and honor their faith without turning to practices that endanger kids.
When your child comes to you with something unexpected, whether they say they're same-sex attracted or seeing themselves differently, the fear can be overwhelming. You want to protect them and do the right thing before God. You may hear about conversion therapy as a way to help.
Before making that decision, you deserve to see what the research on mental health and conversion therapy shows about what happens to kids who go through these programs.
What the Data Says About Suicide Risk
Conversion therapy is linked to a sharp increase in suicide attempts and suicidal thoughts among young people, according to multiple peer-reviewed studies.
Research from the Williams Institute at UCLA found that people who experienced conversion therapy were nearly twice as likely to report suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts. For teens, the numbers are starker: minors exposed are more than twice as likely to attempt suicide.
A study in Pediatrics found that young people experiencing high family rejection are 8.4 times more likely to attempt suicide, 5.9 times more likely to report severe depression, and 3.4 times more likely to use illegal drugs. Children experience conversion therapy as rejection, even when parents pursue it out of love, and the practices harm kids and fracture families in lasting ways.
Not 8 percent more likely. Eight times more likely.
The Financial Cost of a Practice That Doesn't Work
A 2022 evaluation in JAMA Pediatrics estimated the total annual cost of conversion therapy and its harms among young people at $9.23 billion, including costs from depression, anxiety, substance use, and suicide attempts.
Families pay thousands for programs with no credible track record of success. In 2015, a New Jersey jury in Ferguson v. JONAH unanimously found a conversion therapy provider guilty of consumer fraud. The judge stated there was "no factual basis" for its advertised success rates. The organization paid $72,400 and permanently shut down. Today, more than two dozen states have enacted protections to shield families from these practices.
When something has no evidence of working but dramatically increases suicide attempts, that is not therapy. That is harm sold as hope.
Real Families, Real Consequences
Linda Robertson, a devout Christian mother, sought out conversion therapy for her son Ryan after he came out at age 12. Following the advice of well-known organizations, Ryan spent six years memorizing scripture, attending youth groups, and begging God to change him. Nothing changed except that Ryan learned to hate himself. He turned to drugs to cope with the agony "conversion therapy" created, and died in 2009.
"Conversion therapy did nothing to change Ryan's sexuality," Linda has said. "Instead, it taught Ryan that he couldn't be accepted or loved by God as he was, and it destroyed his bond with me."
Paulette Trimmer told the U.S. Supreme Court her child barely came home alive. These are not outliers. They represent what research confirms: "conversion therapy" does not just fail. It endangers lives.
What Christian Parents Can Do Instead
You do not have to choose between your faith and your child's safety. If your child has recently shared something about who they are, there are first steps that honor both your beliefs and your child. Faith-focused counselors who prioritize family connection exist in every state. Resources like FreedHearts and Fortunate Families offer guidance grounded in scripture and compassion.
The safest path forward is the one your family walks together.
FAQs
How much does conversion therapy increase suicidal tendencies risk in young people?
Conversion therapy significantly increases the risk of suicide attempts risk among kids and teens. The Williams Institute found those who experienced these practices were nearly twice as likely to attempt suicide. A study in Pediatrics (Ryan et al., 2009) found minors experiencing high family rejection are 8.4 times more likely to attempt suicide.
Is conversion therapy considered fraud?
Yes. In Ferguson v. JONAH (2015), a New Jersey jury unanimously ruled conversion therapy constitutes consumer fraud, finding "no factual basis" for its advertised success rates. The provider paid damages and closed permanently. The Chiles v. Salazar ruling has further shaped the legal landscape.
Do major medical organizations oppose conversion therapy?
Every major medical and mental health organization in the United States, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association, and the American Psychological Association, opposes conversion therapy as ineffective and harmful.
Can Christian parents support a gay or transgender child and still honor their faith?
Yes. Many Christian families have found faith-aligned ways to stand by their children. Faith-focused licensed counselors, pastoral care, and community organizations offer guidance rooted in scripture and compassion.