Study finds chronic pain a possible risk factor for suicide
Tom Norris has lived with chronic pain for 30 years. Radiation during cancer treatment left him with constant pain in his leg, hip and spine, making even short walks very difficult.
"There's really nothing they can do to quote make me well, so I can do now is just deal with it," he says.
More than 25 million adults are living with pain in the U.S. Now, a new study in the Annals of Internal Medicine finds chronic pain may be a big contributor to suicide.
"We do know people with pain are more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety to overuse or misuse substances. It's particularly important to ask about suicide and do a risk assessment to understand if anything can be done to keep them safe and prevent suicide," says Dr. Mark Ilgen, a psychiatrist with the University of Michigan.
Read the full article at WDTV.