The risk of suicide or suicide attempt is much higher in people with headache, according to a large study carried out on some 120,000 patients with these intense migraines.
- A Danish study reveals a significant link between headache, which affect 15 % of the world’s population, and an increased risk of suicide and suicide attempt.
- Analyzing more than 119,000 patients, it shows that migraines, tension headaches, post-traumatic and trigémino-autonomic cephalalgies increase the risk of attempted and suicide accomplished.
- Even by controlling psychiatric and medical comorbidities, the association persists. These results highlight the importance of global management including psychological support for patients with chronic headache.
The headache, which affect 15 % of the world’s populationare not simple temporary pain: they can have a major impact on the lives of people who suffer from it. A new study by the University of Aarhus in Denmark thus reveals a significant link between these intense headaches and an increased risk of attempted and suicide accomplished. While migraines have already been associated with psychological vulnerability, this research widens the spectrum to different types of headache.
An increase in suicidal risk in migraine patients
As part of their work, published in Jama Neurologythe researchers analyzed a Danish cohort of some 120,000 people diagnosed with a headache between 1995 and 2020, compared to nearly 600,000 others without this diagnosis. Data analysis has revealed a significant increase in suicidal risk:
– The absolute risk of attempted suicide over 15 years was 0.78 % in people with headache against 0.33 % in the control group.
– The absolute risk of suicide accomplished was 0.21 % in patients with 0.15 % in witnesses.
Note that scientists have checked other variables such as the history of psychiatric disorders, chronic diseases (cancer, stroke, cardiovascular disease, etc.), as well as socio-economic factors. However, even after adjustment, the link between headache and suicidal risk persisted, according to a press release.
What types of headache are most at risk?
The study highlights significant differences between Various types of headache ::
– Migraines: Increased risk with a Hazard Ratio (HR) of 1.71 for the suicide attempt and 1.09 for accomplished suicide.
– Tension headache: HR of 1.91 for the attempt and 1.44 for accomplished suicide.
– Post-traumatic headache: the highest risk with an HR of 3.14 for the attempt and 3.22 for accomplished suicide.
– Trigemino-autonomic headache: HR of 1.97 for the attempt and 2.40 for accomplished suicide.
These results, which show that headache is not just a matter of pain, strengthen the idea that early care and particular attention to the mental health of patients are essential. A multidisciplinary approach including psychological care could in particular reduce these risks. If you or a loved one suffer from recurring headache, it may be wise to assess the psychological impact of these pains and talk about it with a health professional, conclude the authors.
