Suicide is the second leading cause of death in adolescents and young adults. We have seen the life-changing effects that ketamine infusions can have on suicidally depressed adults, and in adults who have resisted other forms of depression treatment. When it comes to teen depression, however, few studies have explored the use of ketamine infusion therapy.
Until now. The April 2017 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry features a case report written by a team of Yale researchers, highlighting the very positive results of treating a suicidal 16-year old boy with a series of seven ketamine infusions over an 8-week timeframe.
Like many severely depressed adults, this boy had a history of suicide attempts, and had also failed to respond positively to several antidepressants and psychotherapy treatments. Researchers described him as “hopeless about the prospect of psychiatric improvement.”
However, after receiving ketamine infusion therapy, he was discharged, initially, into a residential facility, but subsequently moved back home, returned to school, and continued to exhibit significantly improved day-to-day function. He has not been plagued with thoughts of suicide since his infusions.
Mental health for teens and young adults is difficult to diagnose and treat, but in marked cases of severe teen depression, ketamine may provide a revolutionary solution. The Yale research team responsible for this study has been granted $25,000 to continue studying the use of ketamine to treat teen depression, and we are excited to learn what transpires in their future studies.
CONTACT VITALITAS
If you are suffering from teen depression, or wondering how to get out of teenage depression, contact us via the brief form below. We can help you decide if ketamine infusions are a viable option to treat your depressive symptoms, or guide you towards a more appropriate treatment modality.
