Asthma, Epilepsy and Diabetes Linked to Increased Risk of Self-Harm and Suicide

A recent study suggests that such illnesses as diabetes, asthma and epilepsy may increase the risk of self-harm and even suicide in certain individuals.

Researchers from the Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford analyzed the risk of hospital admission along with self-harm and how it is significantly related to a higher-risk of self-harm in patients with certain illnesses.   

Along with the aforementioned health problems, researchers found that there the increase in self-harm also included psoriasis, eczema, migraine and inflammatory polyarthropathies. The study authors investigated the risk of self-harm comparing those with different psychiatric and physical disorders in England.

"It is important for physicians, general practitioners and mental health workers to be aware of the physical disorders that are associated with an increased risk of self-harm so that at-risk individuals may be better identified and can be monitored for any psychiatric symptoms and mental distress," note study authors Dr Arvind Singhal and Dr Jack Ross, according to a press release.

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More information regarding the study can be found via the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine.