U. S. researchers found that only mental illness didn’t predict the violent behavior in future, however, when such conditions with dependence of abuse of some substance can raise the risk.

In their study, the researchers analyzed data that was collected from almost 34,000 people. The researchers found that the risk for violent behavior in people with mental illness (without substance abuse or violence history) was somewhat same as in the general population. But this risk was found significantly increased when mental illness was combined with some substance abuse.

But still, this combination of substance abuse and mental illness was placed at ninth in the list of ten top future violence predictors. These predictors that included in the list were age, history of violence, gender, history of youth detention, parental criminal history and unemployment.

The study has been published in the Archives of General Psychiatry, February issue.

Eric B. Elbogen, the lead author of the study, says regarding their study, “We have found a link between violence and mental illness but this link is not as strong as many people reckon it.”

“It has been noted that many other factors like substance abuse or past violence history, divorce and loss of job serve as a better predicator of future violence than only mental illness.”

Dr. Sally Johnson, the co-author of the study says that their study is an open challenge to the perception that many people have and reckon someone with mental illness quite dangerous.