Some say that certain drugs may indeed cause mental illness in individuals with a vulnerable genetic profile. Others say that drugs don't necessarily cause mental illness, but can worsen the symptoms.

70% of schizophrenics smoke. Smoking a cigarette may help them experience calmness or a sense of well-being. It may help them think more clearly, more easily carry on a conversation, or diminish uncomfortable side effects of medications.

Depression can result from an underactive reward pathway that receives little pleasure from natural rewards. People with depression may turn to drugs to stimulate their reward pathways to more 'normal' levels.

A teen who will develop a mental illness begins to use drugs. As a result, symptoms of mental illness surface sooner than they would have, and worsen dramatically with prolonged drug use.

Stimulants such as cocaine can cause anxiety, panic attacks, mania and sleep disorders.

Methamphetamine addicts often report 'hearing voices' and other types of hallucinations characteristic of certain mental disorders.
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