substance abuse and mental health

The chemicals in tobacco and alcohol can change the chemicals in your brain, making you more likely to feel depressed or anxious. People with mental health conditions are also more likely to smoke and drink alcohol.

Using illegal drugs, or misusing prescription drugs, is also linked to mental health conditions. Researchers are not sure whether drugs can cause mental health conditions, whether mental health conditions cause addiction, or whether both are linked to another health problem. People who have experienced trauma, whether physical or emotional (or both), are more likely to misuse drugs and alcohol.