• Randy A Sansone, Daron A Watts, and Michael W Wiederman.
• Department of Internal Medicine, Wright State University School of Medicine, Dayton, Ohio, U.S.A; Department of Psychiatry, Write State University School of Medicine, Dayton, Ohio, U.S.A; Psychiatry Education, Kettering Medical Center, Kettering, Ohio, U.S.A.
• Pain Pract. 2014 Feb 1;14(2):E29-32.

BackgroundThe management of pain patients with analgesics is challenging, with one of the risks being overdose with prescribed medications and death. In this study, we examined relationships between pain and pain catastrophizing, and past history of intentional overdoses and suicide attempts.MethodUsing a cross-sectional approach and a self-report survey methodology, we examined 239 consecutive internal medicine outpatients in the United States. We inquired about pain "today, over the past month," and "over the past year;" and assessed pain catastrophizing with the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), past histories of intentional overdoses, and suicide attempts.ResultsThere were statistically significant relationships between all of the pain variables, as well as PCS scores, and history of intentional overdoses. There were also statistically significant relationships between all of the pain variables, as well as PCS scores, and history of suicide attempts.ConclusionsAlthough we cannot discern causal relationships, findings indicate that patients with pain complaints and pain catastrophizing have a greater likelihood of having past histories of intentional overdoses and suicide attempts. We discuss the potential implications of these findings.© 2013 World Institute of Pain.

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