Understanding Mental Health Difficulties

What causes mental health problems? Mental health issues can affect people from any religion, culture, economic background or nationality. A number of factors are associated with mental health difficulties. Some of these factors include:
- Family history. Most illnesses, both mental and physical, have a genetic component. This means that if a person has a mental health difficulty, his or her relatives may be at higher risk for a mental health problem or have already experienced such a problem.
- Drug use. Research shows that use of drugs can be associated with mental health problems. For example, studies have linked some common serious mental disorders with chronic drug abuse.
Acknowledgement: This fact sheet was originally developed by youth and staff at ReachOut.com, a website that helps teens get through tough times.