Suicidal Ideation Treatment in Wichita Falls
Suicide claimed 45,979 lives in 2020
Suicidal is ideation is a serious symptom that you should not ignore. Suicidal thoughts have many causes. Most often, suicidal thoughts are the result of feeling like you can’t cope when you’re faced with what seems to be an overwhelming life situation. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States, with about one suicide occurring every eleven minutes.
IMPORTANT: If you or someone you know is in immediate danger
- Call 911
- Call 988 (the national suicide prevention hotline)
- Or go to the nearest emergency room
What is Suicidal Ideation?
Suicidal ideation is the term used to describe thoughts of suicide or self-harm. It is a common symptom of mental health disorders, such as depression and anxiety, and can range from fleeting thoughts to more persistent and intense thoughts of suicide or self-harm.
Suicidal ideation is not the same as having a suicide plan. People who have suicidal ideation may think about suicide or self-harm, but they may not have a specific plan to carry it out. However, suicidal ideation is a severe symptom and should not be ignored. If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, it’s essential to seek help.
What Are The Symptoms of Suicidal Ideation?
- Mood swings
- Changing routine, including eating or sleeping patterns
- Developing personality changes or being severely anxious or agitated, particularly when experiencing some of the warning signs listed above
- Doing risky or self-destructive things, such as using drugs or driving recklessly
- Giving away belongings or getting affairs in order when there’s no other logical explanation for doing this
- Feeling trapped or hopeless about a situation
Why Ketamine for Suicidal Ideation?
Ketamine is believed to be effective in treating suicidal ideation because it works differently from other antidepressants and anxiolytics (medications that treat anxiety). Unlike other antidepressants and anxiolytics, which can take several weeks, ketamine can start working within hours or even minutes. This is because ketamine acts on a different part of the brain than other antidepressants and anxiolytics, and it is thought to have a faster and more direct effect on suicidal thoughts.
In addition, ketamine effectively treats mental health conditions resistant to other treatments. It is also generally well-tolerated and has a low risk of side effects.
Overall, while more research is needed to understand the effects of ketamine on suicidal ideation fully, initial studies have shown promise and suggest that it may be an effective treatment option for people struggling with suicidal thoughts.
The Science
Recent evidence points to ketamine’s inhibitory effects on the NMDA receptor in the lateral habenula. The lateral habenula is a brain region primarily responsible for encoding negative rewards or anti-reward cause-and-effect relationships. Those with anxiety show an overactivity of burst firing in the lateral habenula. As a non-competitive NMDA antagonist, ketamine prevents glutamate from activating the NMDA receptor.
The inhibition of the NMDA receptor may cause a build-up of free glutamate, which then activates the AMPA receptors. When surplus glutamate activates the AMPA receptor, it releases a brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) chemical. BDNF, in interaction with the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), promotes new neural growth. This new growth may reroute the brain from hyperactive areas associated with negative reward signals, providing long-term relief from suicidal ideation.
Getting Treatment
People need to seek treatment for suicidal ideation for several reasons. First, suicidal ideation is a serious symptom of mental health disorders, such as depression and anxiety, and should not be ignored. Suicidal thoughts can be intense and persistent, and they can interfere with a person’s ability to function at work or school and their relationships with others.
In addition, suicidal ideation is a risk factor for suicide. While not everyone who experiences suicidal thoughts will attempt suicide, it’s crucial to take suicidal ideation seriously and seek help to prevent further complications.
Secondly, suicidal ideation is highly treatable, and treatment can help people manage their symptoms and improve their overall mental health and well-being.
Finally, seeking treatment for suicidal ideation can also prevent the condition from becoming more severe or chronic. Left untreated, mental health disorders that cause suicidal ideation, such as depression or anxiety, can develop into more severe forms of the condition, which can be more challenging to treat and significantly impact a person’s life. If you or someone you know suffers from suicidal ideation, Kairos can help. Now is the time! Contact us today.
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