In order to understand how mental illness contributes to addiction requires knowledge of both the diseases and how they affect each other. A vast majority of addicts suffer from mental health disorders, especially anxiety, depression or bipolar disorder. People with untreated mental health problems start using depressants and narcotics in order to self-medicate themselves. On the other hand, there are some cases where an individual begins to develop the signs of a mental illness shortly after using drugs. Suggesting drug abuse can potentially lead to a mental illness. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration nearly 8.9 million adults in the United States have co-occurring disorders (“SAMHSA Co-Occurring News”).
