Am I Gay?

If you think you might be gay or are questioning your sexuality, you might be feeling afraid, excited, curious, overwhelmed, nervous, hesitant, aroused, confused, enthusiastic, jumpy, passionate... or a mix of all of these things.

If you are wondering if you might be gay, or just confused about your feelings towards someone of the same sex, there are a number of things you can do.

We asked a range of counsellors to come up with their best suggestions about what you can do if you are feeling stuck with or worried about these feelings. Here are their top 5:

1. Remember, you are not alone.

A lot of people have been through these feelings before you (millions) and even more will experience them after you. There are others who have faced the same difficulties and have the same questions that you have now.

2. Get support.

Finding gay support does not have to mean anyone else needs to know. There are a lot of sites on the internet where you can turn to for support and still remain anonymous. We have listed some of them on our pages. There are books you can read at a library as well. Maybe you can confide in a friend or a relative or someone you think you can trust.

3. Talking with someone might help.

Sometimes our problems start to sort themselves out when we share them with someone. If you don't know anyone you can talk with, you can call a helpline or speak to a counsellor.

4. Find out as much as you can.

Knowledge is power. The more information you can get on this, the easier it will be. At first it might seem scary but you can take your time and research this as fast or slow as you like.

5. Keep an open mind.

Gay people are diverse. No matter what you have already seen on tv, at school or work, no matter what your family or friends say, there is more to being gay than you have seen or heard so far. If you can keep an open mind you will be surprised what you learn and find out.