Linking Mental Health and Addiction

Mental health and substance misuse are issues that often coexist, especially in young people ages 16 –25. The combination of these conditions is commonly known as co-occurring disorders. Up to 70% of mental health conditions appear before adulthood. And, the younger someone is, the higher their risk of developing an addiction from experimenting with different substances.

Sixty percent to 75%

of youth with substance use disorders have a co-occurring mental health condition.

Up to 45%

of youth with mental health conditions also develop a substance use disorder.