Some mental health issues can be tricky to treat, but in recent years ketamine has proven itself to be a great tool used to treat address a variety of those issues. The drug is now showing similar promise when used in crisis intervention and in dealing with suicide ideation.
What the Research Shows
Ketamine, an anesthetic used by the medical establishment since the 1970s, is a drug also used to treat treatment-resistant depression, chronic pain, and a host of other medical issues. Could it also be a reliable treatment for suicide ideation? A recent study says maybe.
In 2022, a group of French doctors completed a double-blind drug trial to test ketamine’s effectiveness against suicide ideation. One group of participants received a 40-minute intravenous infusion of ketamine, while the another received a placebo of saline in addition to each group’s usual course of treatment. The researchers found that more participants who received ketamine infusions saw a full remission of suicidal ideas that those who had received the placebo in just three days.
For years, doctors have looked for more effective treatment of suicide ideation during crisis intervention. Typically, a patient who has entered the emergency room will be treated with a combination of psychotherapy and medication, but those methods can take a long time to become effective, usually weeks. Safety monitoring has also been a tool used during a suicidal crisis.
Having more tools to use during crisis intervention is critical to saving lives—suicide the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S. Though the research is ongoing and more studies are needed, ketamine’s seeming ability to offer one more support to doctors and patients during crisis intervention is promising.
Contact VIP Ketamine
VIP Ketamine is here to support you and your mental health. To see if you are a candidate for ketamine infusions, contact our clinic today, or fill out the brief form below.