Concussions in high school athletes may increase depression and suicide risk
One of the most common forms of traumatic brain injury, a concussion, could lead to an increased risk of depression and suicide in adults, says a recent study.
Research published suggests high school students with a history of sports-related concussions might be at an increased risk for suicide.
The research examined the link between self-reported history of concussion and risk factors for suicide completion.
It was the 1st study to include a nationally representative sample of high school students.
It's important to remember that when it comes to concussions, there's no visual test to confirm them. Unfortunately, you can't take your child to have a lab test done to diagnose one, said a researcher.
Common symptoms of a concussion include loss of consciousness, headache, confusion and change in mood.
Researchers discovered that teenagers who reported having a concussion in the last year were more likely to report feelings of depression, suicidal ideations and planned or previous suicide attempts.
Of the portion of students who reported a history of concussions, approximately 36 % reported they had felt sad ot hopeless ( compared to 31.1 % of all teens) and around 21 % had thoughts of suicide ( compared to 17%).
Male participants with a reported concussion in the last year were twice as likely to report having attempted suicide and 3 times more likely to report a history of receiving medical treatment for attempted suicide than those who did not have a recent concussion.
The study also revealed female students with a history of concussions had greater odds to report all risk factors of suicide.
They were more likely to have reported feeling sad or hopeless, having suicidal ideations, a planned suicide attempt, having attempted suicide, and were twice as likely to indicate a history of receiving medical treatment for an attempted suicide compared to female who did not report a concussion in the last year.
A recently published article revealed female high school athletes have higher concussion rates than their make counterparts.
The researchers noted that while the study did control for commonly associated suicide risk factors like sexual orientation and a history of being bullied, it did not account for other risk factors like drug or alcohol use.
There were no measures of per-concussion mental health for survey participants.
Concussions are a traumatic brain injury and they are even worse for young people with developing brains, said one of the authors. These injuries can have long term effects such as memory issues and sleep disturbances.
According to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, warning signs of suicide can include talking about feeling hopeless, withdrawing or social isolation, extreme mood swings and reckless or anxious behaviour.
Everyone needs to be aware of the warning signs of the risks that come with concussion- parents, teachers, coaches, but also the students themselves, the researcher said.
If there is any concern that a child may have suffered a concussion, it is critical to seek medical attention. If a child is diagnosed with a concussion, everyone in their support network should look for changes in mood or behaviour that may be warning signs of reduced mental well-being, added the researcher.
Research published suggests high school students with a history of sports-related concussions might be at an increased risk for suicide.
The research examined the link between self-reported history of concussion and risk factors for suicide completion.
It was the 1st study to include a nationally representative sample of high school students.
It's important to remember that when it comes to concussions, there's no visual test to confirm them. Unfortunately, you can't take your child to have a lab test done to diagnose one, said a researcher.
Common symptoms of a concussion include loss of consciousness, headache, confusion and change in mood.
Researchers discovered that teenagers who reported having a concussion in the last year were more likely to report feelings of depression, suicidal ideations and planned or previous suicide attempts.
Of the portion of students who reported a history of concussions, approximately 36 % reported they had felt sad ot hopeless ( compared to 31.1 % of all teens) and around 21 % had thoughts of suicide ( compared to 17%).
Male participants with a reported concussion in the last year were twice as likely to report having attempted suicide and 3 times more likely to report a history of receiving medical treatment for attempted suicide than those who did not have a recent concussion.
The study also revealed female students with a history of concussions had greater odds to report all risk factors of suicide.
They were more likely to have reported feeling sad or hopeless, having suicidal ideations, a planned suicide attempt, having attempted suicide, and were twice as likely to indicate a history of receiving medical treatment for an attempted suicide compared to female who did not report a concussion in the last year.
A recently published article revealed female high school athletes have higher concussion rates than their make counterparts.
The researchers noted that while the study did control for commonly associated suicide risk factors like sexual orientation and a history of being bullied, it did not account for other risk factors like drug or alcohol use.
There were no measures of per-concussion mental health for survey participants.
Concussions are a traumatic brain injury and they are even worse for young people with developing brains, said one of the authors. These injuries can have long term effects such as memory issues and sleep disturbances.
According to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, warning signs of suicide can include talking about feeling hopeless, withdrawing or social isolation, extreme mood swings and reckless or anxious behaviour.
Everyone needs to be aware of the warning signs of the risks that come with concussion- parents, teachers, coaches, but also the students themselves, the researcher said.
If there is any concern that a child may have suffered a concussion, it is critical to seek medical attention. If a child is diagnosed with a concussion, everyone in their support network should look for changes in mood or behaviour that may be warning signs of reduced mental well-being, added the researcher.