Chronic Mental Illness Ups Chances of Addiction

People suffering from chronic mental conditions are at higher risk of substance addiction than others, said Hossein Nahvinejad, deputy of rehabilitation at the State Welfare Organization (SWO). “Although the rate of addiction among people with disabilities is lower than any other group, those with spinal cord injuries and people with chronic psychological conditions are at increased risk of addiction,” he told IRNA. The reason could be that these people are dealing with a plethora of problems, including disordered lives and social exclusion. There are about 9,000 people with chronic mental disorders and 1.3 million people with disabilities under SWO coverage. The organization estimates that there are at least 200,000 people with chronic mental disorders across the country.