Mental Health & Substance Use Linked in New NSDUH Survey

Individuals with mental health conditions are at increased risk of developing a substance use disorder, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), often because they may self-medicate with drugs or alcohol.

In its recently released National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), SAMHSA reviewed self-reported questionnaire results from nearly 70 000 individuals across the US to better gauge the scope of both issues and the way they interact.

Poor mental health was decisively linked with increased drug usage. About 3 in 10 adolescents who had a major depressive episode used substances compared with 1 in 10 who did not have one. Meanwhile, a quarter of those with moderate or severe anxiety used drugs compared with 10% of those without anxiety. About 57% of adults with severe mental illness used illegal drugs vs 44% of those with any mental illness and 21% of those with none.

These findings highlight the importance of prevention and early access to interventions and supports for mental illness as a key tool for preventing future substance misuse or dependence.

Learn more about these findings here.