[WASHINGTONEXAMINER] Veterans who experience pain are more likely to attempt suicide, according to a study by the Department of Veterans Affairs.The study, published this year in the Journal of Pain, found that veterans suffering from moderate to severe pain were at higher risk for suicide attempts over the course of a year.
"This close correlation between pain intensity and suicide risk and death rates suggests that reducing pain, or the perception of pain, can help prevent Veteran suicide," Dr. Lisham Ashrafioun, a researcher at the VA Center of Excellence for Suicide Prevention, wrote in a VA blog post.
Ashrafioun and his colleagues found that moderate to severe pain increased the risk of a suicide attempt, even when outside factors such as PTSD, depression, and a history of suicidal behavior were taken into account.