Head trauma may be trigger for suicide

‘Traumatic brain injury is a major public health problem that has many consequences, including suicide’

ONE in 20 suicides could be triggered by damage to the brain caused by road traffic accidents, assaults or falls, scientists have found.

The Danish Research Institute of Suicide Prevention looked at medical records for seven million people over 34 years and found people who suffered a traumatic brain injury were twice as likely to try to take their own life.

People who have suffered a head injury can report longterm symptoms, including memory problems, anger and personality changes.

Research suggests that the risk of suicide over a 25 year period doubles for people who have suffered a bang to their head, rising from one in 200 to one in 100.

Writing in the Journal of the American Medical Association, Dr Trine Madsen, the lead author of the study from the Danish Research Institute of Suicide Prevention, said: “Traumatic brain injury is a major public health problem that has many serious consequences, including suicide.

“The high prevalence of traumatic brain injury globally emphasises the importance for preventing it in order to save lives.”

Around 6,500 people commit suicide in Britain each year, and men are three times more likely to commit suicide than women. Men are around 60 per cent more likely to suffer head injuries than women.