Recent research is showing that people who struggle with migraine headaches and depression often have a history of abuse from childhood. The idea is that somehow the abuse “primes” the brain for migraine, meaning that people are more susceptible to them later as adults.
Her recent study published in the journal Neurology, reported that women with migraine and major depression were twice as likely to report childhood abuse as migraineurs without depression. The study reviewed the survey responses of 949 patients in six headache clinics around the country, including one at the University of Toledo.
If the abuse continued after age 12, the risk of migraine and depression was five times greater.
Clinically speaking, many mental health professionals think of migraine as part of a larger mood or anxiety disorder. Headaches generally can be physical symptoms of stress, with migraine being obviously a much more intense and severe problem.
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3 Comments to
“Childhood Abuse & Mirgraine Headaches”
This is an interesting study. If migraines can be caused by abuse can psychotic symptoms also? What do you think of the research that linked schizophrenia and childhood abuse?
That is interesting. I started having migraines 20 years ago sfter starting therapy for childhood sexual abuse.
The first migraine I can remember was when I was about 4 years old. I had them 2-3 times a month if my memory is correct but they stopped abruptly when I moved out of my parent’s home at 19. My migraine always started with the smell of burning leaves or I had an olfactory aura of the smell of burning leaves.
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Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 27 Sep 2007
