While I had been aware of the overlap between mental illness and gender divergence, I was unaware that the correlation is not as direct as one might imagine. Rather than a mental illness in and of itself that is comorbid with other psychological illnesses like depression and suicidal ideation, the aforementioned negative psychological symptoms actually result in abuse and neglect gender divergent people face from families who reject them or bullying they experience from their peers.
The true nature of this connection is important for any clinicians with gender divergent patients, who are more likely to face stress and isolation in their personal lives. If there were social structures in place to provide emotional and psychological support for trans and nonbinary individuals, rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide would likely decline across cultures.