Chronic pain among suicidal risk factors

A review of literature on the relationship of chronic pain and suicidal behavior is presented. It has been shown that from 8 to 45% of the population suffer from chronic pain, and the proportion of patients experiencing severe pain can reach up to 54%. A common negative factor is the insufficient analgesic effect in 60% of patients, which negatively affects their quality of life and social functioning. Chronic pain refers to independent suicidal risk factors; suicidal ideation is detected on average in 28% cases; the risk of a one-time attempt increases 4 times, while the risk of repeated suicide attempts is increased 6-fold, completed suicides rates grow 2-3 times. "Severe pain" is associated with a 5fold increase in the risk of suicide. Among suicides due to somatic (non-cancerous) disease, 28.7% are associated with chronic pain. Chronic pain rarely acts as the only prosuicidal factor. The combination with depression, apparently, makes the pain unbearable. Pain and cancer...