Headache Treatment in Depression and Anxiety

Abstract

Abstract This chapter discusses headache treatment in depression and anxiety. The most common mood disorders seen in headache patients include depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder. It is crucial to screen for psychiatric comorbidities in all headache patients because these seem to increase the risk of development of headache chronicity, decrease quality of life, and complicate management. Of utmost importance is to recognize a patient who may be at risk for harm to themself or others. Suicide attempts seem to be more frequent in patients suffering from migraine than in the general population, especially in women and in those who have migraine with aura. As such, it is important that clinicians have a clear strategy for dealing with a suicidal patient. Although monotherapy for mood disorder and migraine can be considered for mild cases, often a collaborative approach with psychiatry is necessary to ensure both psychiatric disease and headache are adequately managed.