This article by Jill Ettinger was originally published on Psychedelic Spotlight, and appears here with permission.
New research out of Australia points to the benefits of ketamine therapy in reducing suicidal thoughts. The findings are published in the journal Translational Psychiatry.
According to the study, two-thirds of the patients who participated more than 60 percent experienced a significant reduction in suicidal thoughts after taking oral doses of ketamine for six weeks.
Participants were defined as suffering from chronic suicidality ongoing thoughts of suicide.
“On average, patients experienced a significant reduction in suicide ideation, from a high level before the trial to below the clinical threshold by week six of the trial,” lead researcher Adem Can of the University of Sunshine Coast said in a statement. “In medicine, this response rate is significant, particularly given it was experienced by patients with chronic suicidality, which can be difficult