Key Takeaways
Head injuries might increase a person’s risk of suicide
Those who’ve had a head injury are 21% more likely to attempt suicide
The risk is highest within the first 12 months
TUESDAY, Dec. 30, 2025 (HealthDay News) — A serious knock on the noggin might substantially increase a person’s risk of suicide, a new study says.
People who’ve sustained a head injury are 21% more likely to attempt suicide than those without such an injury, researchers recently reported in the journal Neurology.
“Our findings show that the impact of head injuries are not limited to just physical symptoms or repercussions. They can have profound psychological consequences,” said lead researcher Nicola Adderley, a professor of epidemiology and real-world evidence at the University of Birmingham in the U.K.
“Suicide risk assessments should be considered for anyone with a recent head injury, regardless of their mental health history, to improve and safeguard patient outcomes,” she said in a news release.
For the study, researchers analyzed records for more than 1.8 million adults in the United Kingdom across two decades, tracking those who had a head injury to see if they later attempted suicide.
Overall, nearly 390,000 people with a head injury were compared to about 1.5 million who didn’t have a head injury.
The rate of suicide among people with head injuries was 2.4 per 1,000 person-years, compared to 1.6 per 1,000 person-years among the uninjured, researchers said.
Results indicated that the risk of suicide was highest within 12 months of a head injury.
After that, the risk remained higher compared to those without head injuries, even though it declined over time, researchers said.
The study also did not find a significant increase in deaths by suicide, suggesting that head injuries might contribute to more non-fatal attempts.
Overall, the results suggest that people who’ve had a head injury need more mental health support as they recuperate, researchers said.
“These findings have implications for both clinical practice and health policy; highlighting the urgent need for targeted mental health and well-being support,” senior researcher G. Neil Thomas, a professor of epidemiology at the University of Birmingham, said in a news release.
“The development and testing of robust suicide risk assessment and prevention strategies for people with head injuries should be further investigated; especially within the first 12 months post-head injury and irrespective of mental health history,” Thomas added.
Erin Bigler, a retired professor of psychology and neuroscience at Brigham Young University in Utah, co-wrote an editorial that accompanied the study.
It said the link between head injuries and suicide risk likely involves damage to what has been called the brain’s “cone of vulnerability” – the brain structures critical for emotional regulation and decision-making.
“Damage or dysregulation in these regions may produce impulsivity, disinhibition and impaired judgment, thereby lowering the threshold for self-harm,” the editorial says.
More information
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia has more on the effect of concussion on mental health.
SOURCES: University of Birmingham, news release, Dec. 22, 2025; Neurology, Dec. 22, 2025
What This Means For You
People who’ve had a head injury should be aware of an increased risk of suicide.
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