Physicians in the 1800s and early 1900s suggested that headaches were related to a particular personality pattern. Headache researchers have now collected over 200 scientific studies examining the personality and behavior of headache sufferers. In most studies, headache sufferers tend to have increased daily stress, more difficulty coping with stress, and more mild symptoms of depression. However, there is no good evidence for a particular headache-prone personality. In fact, women are three times more likely to experience an episode of depression than men are.
Depression also is known to occur more often in headache sufferers than non-headache sufferers.
The stress of coping with a chronic painful medical condition, like headache, increases the risk of depression. Therefore, it is very important to recognize the signs of depression and discuss them with the physician. This information can help the physician select treatments that can relieve symptoms of both headache and depression. As with depression, women are at a greater risk than men are for anxiety. Anxiety involves a state of tension or fear that occurs without clear cause.