According to research published in the British Journal of Psychiatry Open, ketamine therapy has a quick, short-term effect of reducing depression symptoms and suicidal thoughts, making it a promising mental health treatment alternative.
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For the study, the team included 33 systematic reviews, 29 randomised control trials and 21 observational studies.
Researchers found the strongest evidence around the use of ketamine to treat both major depression and bipolar depression, with symptoms reduced as quickly as one to four hours after a single treatment that lasted up to two weeks.
They also observed that single or multiple doses of ketamine resulted in large reductions in suicidal thoughts. The effect lasted on average three days and up to one week.
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