gurus who claim to “cure" homosexuality, usually through prayer, physical violence and mental conditioning.“These (practices) are all rooted in the belief that you can change your sexuality," says Raj Mariwala, director of the Mariwala Health Institute, which aims to make mental health services accessible to marginalized communities. “They normally coexist with abuse and pressure faced by the individuals within their families.
This sort of coercion and violence can have huge mental health consequences, including internalized homophobia, self-hate, depression and suicidal ideation."*****The history of “conversion therapy" is almost as old as that of psychiatry itself.