Suicidal ideation is becoming increasingly common among American teenagers. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), suicide ranks as the second leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 15 and 24.
If your teen is struggling with untreated depression or anxiety, they may already be engaging in self-harm or having thoughts of suicide. To quickly address suicidal ideation, we offer medically supervised ketamine infusion therapy at Klarity Clinic.
Our board-certified physicians prioritize your child’s health and safety during ketamine treatments. They can also use this innovative therapy to address difficult-to-treat depression that can increase risk factors for suicide in teens and adults.
Suicide ideation refers to thoughts of taking one’s own life. There are two types of suicidal ideation that occur in teens and adults:
Passive suicidal ideation involves having negative thoughts about wanting to die but lacking a plan to follow through.
Active suicidal ideation describes an intent to end one’s own life with a plan of when and how to do it.
Often, suicide ideation is a side effect of unmanaged mental health conditions like major depression and bipolar disorder. However, teens without a mental illness might still consider suicide due to social and environmental issues, stress, and other circumstances.
Teenagers are known for moodiness, rebellion, and other emotional highs and lows as they navigate the many changes in their body and brains as they mature.
Though it can be difficult to discern whether your child is struggling, there are some warning signs of depression and bipolar disorder to watch for, including:
Your teen might also start using drugs or alcohol as a way of coping with depression and other mental health challenges.
If you notice any of these signs or have concerns about your child’s mood or behavioral changes, schedule an evaluation at Klarity Clinic. Our team can determine if your teen qualifies for ketamine infusion therapy to relieve suicidal ideation and other persistent mental health symptoms.
Ketamine is traditionally used as a surgical anesthetic. In lesser quantities, the drug has proven effective at quickly reversing symptoms of depression, including thoughts of suicide in adolescents.
Our Klarity Clinic team administers ketamine through an intravenous (IV) line in one of your veins, which allows the drug to flow directly into your bloodstream. Ketamine works directly on the brain by increasing levels of glutamate, a large neurotransmitter that plays a role in your mood.
Ketamine can be a treatment option for teens who aren’t responding well to traditional antidepressants. Ketamine infusions help build new neural pathways in the brain to provide lasting relief of depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder symptoms.
Call the Klarity Clinic office in Las Vegas, Nevada, or Upland, California, today to find out if ketamine infusions are a treatment option for your child, or book an appointment online.
