Pride Month: Addiction & the LGBTQ+ Community

The arrival of June marks the start of Pride Month—when our nation proudly waves its rainbow flags to celebrate the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning community.

Pride Month also helps raise awareness about equity, diversity, and the issues impacting this group. One such issue is drug and alcohol addiction, which disproportionately affects LGBTQ+ individuals.

People who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender are often at higher risk for substance use disorders due to factors such as discrimination, social stigma, and harassment.

Compared to their heterosexual counterparts, lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults report higher rates of binge drinking, illicit drug use, marijuana use, opioid misuse, and mental illness, according to data from 2022.

Additionally, this same data shows that lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults are twice as likely to have a substance use disorder than straight adults.

And so many of these individuals are not getting the help they need. Only 1% of lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults with a substance use disorder seek treatment.

At Desert Hope Treatment Center, we are working to bridge this gap in care. We understand that addiction treatment is not one-size-fits-all, and everyone’s journey to recovery is unique, so treatment plans should be, too.

Our Las Vegas inpatient rehab offers a specialized treatment track for the LGBTQ+ community. The program provides a safe, supportive environment where participants can address personal issues and how they relate to substance use. LGBTQ+ group meetings are held offsite twice a week, just minutes away from our treatment center.

If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, call us at  to learn more about your treatment options and start the path to recovery today.

Local Pride Month Events in Las Vegas

Looking to celebrate Pride Month in Las Vegas this month? Check out these local events:

The 4th Annual LGBTQ Henderson Pride Fest
Sunset Park
Saturday, June 8
12 pm–10 pm

Rainbow Family Bingo
Sunset Casino (Henderson, NV)
Wednesday, June 12
5:30 pm doors open, 6:30 pm start

Youth Prom LGBTQ+ Party
Henderson Equality Center
Friday, June 21
7 pm–10pm

Pride Family Cosmic Bowling Night
Strike Zone Bowling, Sunset Casino
Tuesday, June 25
6pm–8 pm

Or if you’re looking for a sober Pride event, check out:

Las Vegas PRIDE Outside Hike
Tule Springs (Floyd Lamb Park)
Sunday, June 9
10am–1 pm