Connection between the adolescent mental illness and drug abuse epidemics

Both teen mental illness and substance abuse have always been considered some of the most pressing issues for young people, but due to current spikes of both epidemics, they are more relevant right now than ever. Although these are both some of the most talked about topics regarding the safety and well-being of young adults, they are rarely connected in conversations when educating on the dangers of both. 
As a high school student who went to both public and private schools over their teenage years, drug abuse is commonly discussed all the way from elementary to high school. In recent years, mental health has slowly been talked about more, but the stigma still remains. When adults talk about drug abuse and addiction and how it begins, we are told about three main ways: hanging out with the wrong friend group and giving into peer pressure, trying to fit in and be “cool”, and your brain not being fully developed resulting in risky and poor decision making. 
The spike in both epidemics are shown by numerous recent studies. KFF reported “Adolescent drug fatalities more than doubled in recent years – primarily due to opioids – but slightly decreased by the end of 2023” Although there was a miniscule decrease, which is still a positive, the comparison from 10 years ago to now is disturbing. “There were 708 adolescents drug fatalities in 2023, compared to 721 in 2022.  Although these findings represent the first decrease in drug overdose fatalities in recent years, they remain more than twice as high as the number of adolescent overdose fatalities prior to the pandemic (708 deaths in 2023 vs. 282 deaths in 2019” As well as the increase in drug abuse In 2023, CDC found that: 4 in 10 (40%) students had persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness. 2 in 10 (20%) students seriously considered attempting suicide and nearly 1 in 10 (9%) attempted suicide.
Despite the countless data and studies that have been performed proving that a large percentage of adolescents that use drugs stemmed from mental illness, it is almost always never a part of the conversation when young adults are being guided to adulthood. Mental health and substance abuse are directly tied to each other. A 2016 study performed by PubMed, a online medical literature site provided by the US National Library of Medicine, discovered a shocking statistic that proves mental health issues align with substance abuse. PubMed found that of 10,000 adolescents, two-thirds of those who developed alcohol or substance use disorders had experienced at least one mental health disorder. 
The mental health stigma is extremely dangerous not only by itself, but also its impact on drug abuse. Due to the stigma, mental health awareness and resources are scarce and are a key reason why substance abuse has risen drastically. When people feel hopeless they are too scared or embarrassed to ask for help leading to them seeking an alternate way to escape. 
Also, people who want to get better often do not have access to help.  
“The findings provide the first evidence from a nationally representative sample that prior mental disorders represent risk factors for the transition from nonuse to use,” PubMed said in its study, “and the progression to drug- and alcohol-related problems. Treatment of primary mental disorders is likely to be an important target for the prevention of secondary substance use disorders in youth” 
Helping the drug crisis will not be possible without helping the mental health epidemic as well. They are intertwined in a way that we cannot ignore, and it is imperative to our youth and future generations that we do not ignore these issues. 
If you or someone you know is struggling with drug abuse and mental illness, there are hotline resources available such as SAMHSA (Substance abuse and mental health services administration) “SAMHSA’s National Helpline is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders”