A new study from researchers at Aarhus University in Denmark has found that people diagnosed with headache disorders are more likely to attempt or die by suicide.
The study looked at different types of headaches, including migraines, tension headaches, posttraumatic headaches, and a rare group of severe headaches known as trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias (TACs).
Headaches are extremely common, affecting about two-thirds of people worldwide. They are also known to be linked to mental health conditions like depression and anxiety.
While past research has shown a connection between migraines and suicidal thoughts, there has been less information on how different headache types relate to suicide risk. This study helps fill that gap by analyzing a large group of people over time.
The study, published in JAMA Neurology, followed more than 119,000 Danish individuals who were diagnosed with headaches for the first time between 1995 and 2020.
These individuals were compared with a much larger group—nearly 600,000 people—who did not have a recorded headache diagnosis. The researchers then tracked whether the participants attempted or completed suicide over a 15-year period.
Higher Suicide Risk Found in People With Headaches
The findings showed that people with headache disorders had a significantly higher risk of both attempted and completed suicide compared to those without headaches.
- Suicide attempts: 0.78% of people with headaches attempted suicide, compared to 0.33% of those without headaches. This means people with headaches were more than twice as likely to attempt suicide.
- Completed suicides: 0.21% of headache sufferers died by suicide, compared to 0.15% of those without headaches.
The level of risk varied depending on the type of headache.
- Migraine: 71% higher risk of attempting suicide, 9% higher risk of dying by suicide.
- Tension-type headache: 91% higher risk of attempting suicide, 44% higher risk of dying by suicide.
- Posttraumatic headache: 3 times higher risk of attempting suicide, more than 3 times higher risk of dying by suicide.
- TACs: Almost twice the risk of attempting suicide, and more than twice the risk of dying by suicide.
Why Are Headaches Linked to Suicide?
People diagnosed with headaches were also more likely to have other serious health conditions, including cancer, heart disease, lung disease, stroke, head injuries, mood disorders, and substance use problems. Even after adjusting for these health conditions, the increased suicide risk remained.
For individuals who had mood or substance use disorders along with headaches, the connection between headaches and suicide was slightly weaker but still significant. The risk was also similar across different ages, genders, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Importance of Mental Health Support
These findings highlight the importance of mental health care for people who experience frequent or severe headaches. Since headaches are often linked to depression, anxiety, and stress, doctors may need to consider screening patients for mental health concerns.
Providing early mental health support and treatment could help reduce the risk of suicide among people with headache disorders.
This study adds to growing evidence that headaches are not just a physical problem but can also have serious effects on mental well-being. Recognizing this link could lead to better care and support for those at risk.
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The research findings can be found in JAMA Neurology.
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