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***This media release contains information some readers may find distressing as it refers to data about mental health, suicide and self-harm. If you or anyone you know needs help, support is available now. Call Lifeline (Aus) on 131 114 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636, or Lifeline (NZ) on 0800 543 354. ***
US and Danish scientists say having a diagnosis of a headache disorder, including migraine, tension headaches, post-traumatic headaches, and Trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias (TACs) - headaches that cause pain on one side of the head - is linked with a higher risk of attempting or completing suicide. Their findings are based on comparing suicide risk in nearly 120,000 people with a headache diagnosis with the risk among nearly 600,000 people without a diagnosis. The team followed up with the participants after 15 years to assess suicides and suicide attempts. The increased risk of suicide was seen in all headache types, with the strongest link for TACs and post-traumatic headache, they say. Among people with a headache disorder, 0.78% had attempted suicide and 0.21% had completed suicide after 15 years, while 0.33% in the non-headache group had attempted suicide and 0.15% had completed suicide. Although this type of study cannot prove cause and effect, the authors describe the link as robust and persistent, and suggest patients diagnosed with a headache disorder could benefit from behavioural health evaluations and treatment.
From:
Risk of Attempted and Completed Suicide in Persons Diagnosed With Headache
About The Study: The results of this cohort study revealing the robust and persistent association of headache diagnoses with attempted and completed suicide suggest that behavioral health evaluation and treatment may be important for these patients.
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