Homophobia, the fear or hatred of homosexuals, is now considered a mental disorder, according to Italian researchers.

"After discussing for centuries if homosexuality is to be considered a disease, for the first time we demonstrated that the real disease to be cured is homophobia, associated with potentially severe psychopathologies," said Dr. Emmanuele Jannini, the lead researcher in the study, according to WND.

The study said "psychoticism," "immature defense mechanisms" and a "fearful attachment style" are associated with individuals who have homophobic attitude.

Author David Kupelian was not surprised with the results of the study.

In his book, he said, "I predicted that the current obsession of the loony left – which dominates the social sciences – with pathologising conservatives and Christians as 'disordered' would only accelerate," Kupelian said.

"A generation ago, people who engaged in homosexual acts were considered 'disordered' by the psychiatric and psychological professions. Today, simply recognising homosexuality as disordered makes you disordered!" he added.

He said the homosexual movement pressured the American Psychiatric Association (APA) in the 1970s to remove homosexuality from the official list of disorders.

In 2012, the APA removed "gender identity disorder" from its manual of mental disorders.

Kupelian said some researchers even studied conservatives' brains to prove these are structured differently.

He said a 2010 study in the U.K. said conservatives have brains with big amygdalas, the part associated with fear, anxiety and emotion.

In 2012, a University of Arkansas professor revealed a study linking conservatives to low brainpower.

Kupelian said, on the contrary, research has shown that people on the political left are more likely to suffer from mental illness than those on the right.

A 2007 Gallup survey said Republicans reported much better mental health than Democrats or independents.

A 2013 survey by Buzzfeed said Democrats were more likely than Republicans to suffer mental illnesses including ADD/ADHD, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and anorexia.