Concussion, brain injury linked to higher risk of suicide

While suicides after concussions are rare, a new analysis has found that patients diagnosed with concussion or mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) had double the risk of suicide when compared with people who did not have brain injuries. The study also found that people with concussion or mild TBI were at increased risk of suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts.

The study, led by Michael Fralick, SM ’18, while he was a student at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, examined data from 17 studies that included more than 700,000 concussion patients and 6.2 million people who had not been diagnosed with concussion.

“Over 99% of people who have a concussion do not experience a suicide-related event,” Fralick said in a November 12, 2018 Medpage Today article. “The majority of people feel better within 1 to 2 weeks of experiencing a concussion. For anyone who has symptoms that last longer than this, or for anyone who notices a low mood or suicidal thoughts, it’s really important to seek medical attention.”

Read the Medpage Today article: Suicide after Concussion Rare, But Risk is Higher