Mental Health & Addictions

Poverty intersects with mental health and addiction in complex ways. People who have mental health issues or illnesses are often more likely to experience material poverty. However, the experience of living in poverty also leads to mental health and illness issues. For example, individuals report suffering from depression and anxiety due to not being able to find stable employment and income. The relationship between poverty and mental health and addictions is a complicated two-way street that requires innovative research and policy solutions. This section explores those concepts.