The link between headache and depression works both ways. Having a chronic illness like headache increases the risk for depression. As headaches become more frequent and more severe, the likelihood for depression also increases. Individuals with daily headache are at the highest risk for developing depression. In turn, depression can make pain more intense and difficult to treat.
Depression also tends to decrease energy, disturb sleep, and influence appetite and eating habits.
These sleep and dietary changes can then contribute to the headache problem. Although most women with headaches are not depressed, it is important to identify even mild levels of depression. The usual drug and non-drug treatments for headache are not as effective when the headache sufferer is also troubled by depression. Getting Support and Treatment Women with headache may be taken less seriously by the medical profession when they do seek care for their headaches. There is evidence that men with headache are more likely to receive intensive medical scrutiny for underlying causes of headache, whereas women with similar headache complaints are more likely to be diagnosed with depression or viewed as having a psychologically based illness.