There's a strong connection between psychosis and homophobia, according to a new study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine.

Researchers at Italy's University of Rome Tor Vergata in Italy explored homophobia as a possible mental illness, and found interesting correlations to psychological dysfunctions—including depression, neurosis and immature defense mechanisms.

“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 researchers.

More than 520 college students, ages 18 to 30, were given a series of evaluations, and those who scored high for psychoticism (defined as a pattern of aggressiveness and hostility) also tended to be more homophobic, “demonstrating that pathologic personality traits are involved in homophobic attitudes.”

Could that mean one day there will be a pill for homophobia?

Interestingly, interviewees who showed signs of depression were less likely to be homophobic.

"If we suppose that subjects with a high level of psychoticism perceive external reality as a threat and project their anger—for example, against homosexual people—people with depressive traits could direct the anger mainly against themselves," they stated.