Personality And Migraine: Is There A Relationship?

Having migraines can turn your life into a real torture. They claim that this condition is inherited and is associated with an increased risk of developing anxiety and depression. However, the relationship between personality and migraine is much less well known.

The question has been of interest for more than 80 years, with Wolff being one of the pioneers in the investigation. After years of study, important associations have been found between certain personality traits and migraine headaches.

What is migraine?

Migraine is a type of headache, moderate to high intensity, generally throbbing. But it is much more than just pain. Migraine is accompanied by symptoms such as nausea or vomiting. In addition, it causes fatigue and a great sensitivity to light and sound.

The person with migraine can find themselves totally incapacitated when faced with a crisis. Being prey to the irrepressible need to isolate yourself in a silent and dark environment to cope with the pain. In addition, it is sometimes preceded by an aura. This consists of the appearance of alterations in the sight, difficulty to speak or to move.

Depending on whether the disorder is episodic or chronic, symptoms occur more or less frequently. However, despite having detected some triggers, the exact causes of migraine are still unknown. 

Personality and migraine

A personality trait is a specific and stable pattern of perceiving, interpreting, and reacting to events. Through research, a relationship between personality and migraine has been established. A kind of migraine profile, with features common to those who suffer from this condition. Some of the most prominent are the following:

Perfectionism and hyperresponsibility

One of the most outstanding qualities is the tendency to perfectionism and to be excessively demanding with oneself and with others. They are people who seek and demand excellence, it is difficult for them to be flexible and compromising. They need to conform to the rules, they are extremely responsible and they seek excellence.

Need for control

Those individuals who do not tolerate uncertainty fall into this category . They need to know exactly what is going to be done, how and at what time. Rigidly sticking to a plan gives them a sense of control, which turns to anxiety when there is no plan or they get out of it.

Dichotomy and sense of justice

There is a marked tendency for these people to see the world in black and white. They are radical in their judgments when assessing whether something is good or bad, fair or unfair. There are no grays or intermediate points. They are not very flexible when interpreting situations.

Low tolerance for frustration and criticism

Individuals with migraine appear to be more sensitive to failure and criticism. They have trouble managing negative experiences and are greatly affected by other people’s comments. When something that happens falls short of their expectations, they perceive it as a personal failure rather than a learning opportunity.

Perhaps due to low self-esteem, they have more difficulty handling frustration and emotions. They thus present a tendency to somatize emotional suffering, since they are very mental people. Therefore, it is common for episodes to be triggered in stressful situations where the person feels overwhelmed.

Is there a relationship between personality and migraine?

Within the categories of personality classification, the traits associated with migraine are those belonging to group C. This designates people with an anxious, dependent and obsessive tendency. These relationships have been questioned and are still subject to controversy.

The relationship between personality and migraine cannot be determined exactly. However, a greater presence of these traits has been found in migraineurs than in control groups. Beyond all that, it may be helpful to address these rigid tendencies in patients and encourage them to flex their perceptions.

Cognitive behavioral therapy has helped people with migraine to modify their thought patterns, manage their anxiety, and develop more appropriate coping styles. With this, important achievements have been obtained in the management and control of migraines. Addressing the psychology of the migraine patient is a not inconsiderable alternative that can offer a hopeful future.