Ketamine Reduces Suicidal Ideation Quickly: Here's How It Works

Suicide is the 10th most common cause of death among Americans overall — and shockingly, it’s the third most common cause of death among kids and young adults. Worse, data show those rates are rising; the good news is, emerging therapies like ketamine infusion can help.

Most people who commit suicide begin by thinking about it — a mental health condition called suicidal ideation. At Revival Infusion Madison, Sarah Wilczewski, CRNA, APNP, offers ketamine infusion to help manage negative thoughts while promoting more balanced mental health. Here’s how she can help you.

Understanding suicidal ideation

Suicidal ideation is a mental health condition marked by intrusive thoughts of harming oneself or committing suicide. While it’s often associated with major depressive disorder, anyone can experience suicidal ideation, including people affected by outside stressors, like relationship problems or personal or professional loss.

In general, suicidal ideation includes behaviors like:

• Frequent thoughts about death
• Desire to die
• Doing research on suicide
• Planning out suicide
• Believing that there’s nothing to live for
• Writing suicide notes

Frequently, suicidal ideation is accompanied by feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness, along with an increase in risky behaviors, like substance abuse.

Suicidal idation can range in severity and frequency. While some people experience thoughts of self-harm infrequently, others may be plagued by near-continual thoughts or even obsessions about taking their lives. Regardless of the frequency or severity of symptoms, though, suicidal ideation is closely linked with suicide attempts and death, and it should never be ignored.

Unfortunately, suicidal ideation can be difficult to treat. Many people who suffer from thoughts of suicide find talk therapy and medication ineffective in relieving their symptoms, leaving them not only with intrusive thoughts of self-harm, but at risk of losing their lives.

Ketamine manages suicidal ideation

Data show that 90% of people who die by suicide have an underlying mental health condition — most commonly, mood disorders like depression or bipolar disorder. While traditional therapies don’t always provide a solution for people with suicidal ideation, recent research finds ketamine can.

In fact, one study found that in people suffering from major depressive disorder and suicidal ideation, a single ketamine infusion provided rapid relief, in addition to improvements in cognition and “clear thinking.” 

Another meta-analysis of roughly 1,400 patients with suicidal ideation found ketamine was very effective in relieving thoughts of suicide, with benefits increasing after subsequent infusions.

Ketamine works directly on neural communication systems in your brain, improving chemical signaling that plays a key role in mood and mood disorders, including depression, bipolar disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It also helps form new nerve pathways for optimal brain communication and a decrease in negative thought patterns, including thought patterns associated with suicidal ideation.

Infusion is performed on an outpatient basis in about an hour, and sessions can be repeated to maintain beneficial effects over time. Every therapy session is closely monitored to ensure you feel secure and relaxed. 

Importantly, unlike traditional medications that can take weeks to become effective, most people experience ketamine’s beneficial effects immediately — right after their first treatment session.

Don’t suffer alone

If you’re struggling with suicidal thoughts, depression, anxiety, or other mental health issues and traditional therapies haven’t helped, ketamine could be the solution you’re looking for. To learn more about ketamine infusion therapy, call 608-405-6824 or book an appointment online with the team at Revival Infusion Madison in Fitchburg, Wisconsin, today.