Over the past decade, the scientific community has reached an overwhelming and consistent conclusion: conversion therapy does not work, and it causes harm. While the term “conversion therapy” can sound clinical or neutral, the practices it describes—attempts to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity—have been studied extensively. The results are clear across every reputable field of health and mental health research: these interventions are ineffective, unethical, and associated with significant psychological risk.
Modern research has moved far beyond opinion or ideology. Large‑scale studies, systematic reviews, and longitudinal data now give us a detailed picture of what happens when people are subjected to conversion efforts. One of the most influential findings comes from population‑level studies showing that individuals who experience conversion therapy are significantly more likely to develop depression, anxiety, PTSD symptoms, and suicidal ideation. These outcomes are not small or ambiguous – they are strong, consistent, and replicated across multiple samples.
A 2020 study published in The American Journal of Public Health found that LGBTQ+ adults who underwent conversion therapy were more than twice as likely to attempt suicide in their lifetime compared to those who had not. Other research from The Trevor Project’s national surveys shows similar patterns among youth: exposure to conversion efforts dramatically increases the risk of suicide attempts, self‑harm, and chronic mental health symptoms. These findings hold even when controlling for family rejection, socioeconomic status, and other stressors, which means the harm is not incidental—it is tied directly to the intervention itself.
Why is conversion therapy so damaging? The answer lies in what the practice fundamentally communicates: that a person’s core identity is wrong, disordered, or in need of correction. Contemporary psychological science is unequivocal that sexual orientation and gender identity are not pathologies. They are natural variations of human experience. When a therapeutic environment frames identity as a problem, it creates conditions for shame, internalized stigma, and chronic self‑surveillance—factors strongly linked to long‑term mental health difficulties.
Another important thread in current research is the lack of evidence for any positive outcomes. No high‑quality study has ever shown that conversion therapy can change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Attempts to produce such evidence have been methodologically flawed, ethically compromised, or later retracted. In fact, many early proponents of conversion therapy have since publicly disavowed their own work, acknowledging that the interventions did not produce genuine change and often caused deep harm.
Major professional organizations—including the American Psychological Association, American Psychiatric Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Counseling Association, and World Health Organization—have reviewed the research and issued strong statements against conversion therapy. These positions are not political; they are scientific and ethical. They reflect decades of data showing that affirming care improves mental health outcomes, while conversion efforts undermine them.
Recent research also highlights the long‑term impact of conversion therapy. Survivors often describe persistent feelings of shame, difficulty trusting therapeutic relationships, and a sense of disconnection from their own identity. Many report that the experience delayed their ability to form healthy relationships, access supportive care, or feel safe in their own bodies. These are not short‑term side effects; they can shape a person’s life for years.
What science makes clear is this: conversion therapy is not therapy. It is an intervention built on the false premise that identity is a pathology. True mental health care supports people in understanding themselves, building resilience, and living authentically—not suppressing who they are.
As research continues to evolve, the findings only reinforce what survivors, clinicians, and advocacy groups have been saying for years: affirming care saves lives, and conversion therapy puts them at risk. The most ethical, evidence‑based approach is one that honors identity, fosters safety, and helps people move toward self‑acceptance rather than self‑erasure.
This post was written with the assistance of artificial intelligence and then reviewed and edited by a licensed or provisionally licensed mental health professional.
Denise Fattic is a Provisionally Licensed Professional Counselor at Greenway Therapy . Learn more about her on her BIO page.
