Lori Calabrese, MD

Category: Suicidal Thoughts

Articles About Suicidal Thoughts by Lori Calabrese, MD | The Ketamine Blog

We offer the following articles about suicidal thoughts to reduce the hype and stigma that seem to accompany the tragedy of suicide and those who consider it. We hope to show how changes in brain circuitry and structures lead to the torment of these thoughts, and as a result an individual can make attempts on his own life because he succumbs to those painful images and thought patterns.

Suicidal Thoughts Are Caused by a Variety of Disorders and Reactions

Suicide is not selfish, as some claim, any more than kidney failure is selfish. It’s part of a disease process that creates a cycle the individual is trapped within.

Suicidal thoughts can accompany a variety of psychiatric disorders. In fact, they can torment people who have never been diagnosed with a disorder at all. Sometimes changes can happen slowly over time in response to a significant life event that takes the joy out of life for an individual.  And that state can progress to thoughts of death.

The loss of someone near and dear, or other types of losses can also contribute. Sometimes a personal failure is behind the action.

In other cases, a person may suffer for a prolonged period of time from a diagnosis, or multiple disorders, that bring feelings of depression, despair, and despondency.  When this happens, in some cases mental images of death, or thoughts of dying, or even plans for dying can begin.

Of all of those who admit to thinking about death and dying, and those who think those thoughts but don’t talk about them, there is a smaller percentage of people who actually follow through.

But that’s not to say that there aren’t far too many suicides.

Suicide is the Second Leading Cause of Death in 15-29 Year Olds

And it doesn’t just happen in developed countries. Globally, 79% of suicides occur in lower and middle income countries.

And think about this: The greatest risk factor for suicide is a previous attempt.

The archaic idea that an unsuccessful suicide attempt is just a cry for attention is an idea that can eventually lead to tragedy.

Here’s the point.

Talk of suicide should always be taken seriously. We don’t know for sure who among this group will follow through and who won’t. But these thoughts put any person at risk who experiences them.

Suicidal Thoughts and Actions Are a Product of a Mind Out of Order

Unfortunately there are far too many who end their lives. But thanks to IV ketamine treatment, that number is decreasing.

What I’ve seen in my own practice is that IV ketamine can end those thoughts in an afternoon. That buys time for the individual to safely participate in therapy and build a more solid personal infrastructure for remission.

In fact, the use of IV ketamine for suicidal thoughts can prevent trips to the ER for suicidal attempts and prevent hospitalizations, as well.

It’s for this reason I offer IV ketamine to stop suicidal thoughts and save lives. Lives of people who can go on to enjoy love, productivity, and fulfillment.

As you read these articles about suicidal thoughts, I hope they’ll broaden your perspective about how widely thoughts like this are experienced, and how important it is to stop them so your loved one can heal.

  • Ketamine Treatment Provides Transformation Going Forward

    Ketamine Treatment Provides Transformation Going Forward

    Lexi released a long, deep sigh as she stared out the window. What was the point? Just holding herself up in the overstuffed chair was too much of an effort.  But, she knew she had to drag herself to her feet, and get in the shower. Another day had begun, and she needed to go to work. She didn’t know how she could do it, but without a paycheck she’d be in a much worse situation. She just had to. Eventually she shuffled into the bathroom, stripped off her clothes and turned on the water. After drying off, she pulled on her robe, and drug herself back to the kitchen, and poured another cup of coffee. Sitting at the table, head in hands, she tried to picture herself dressing, and actually going to work. She drew a blank. But, eventually, she was locking her front door, getting in her car, and starting the engine. Unfortunately, she’d never heard of ketamine treatment or that it provides transformation now, and in the future. She just didn’t know.

    Feeling Like a Zombie

    She pulled into the parking lot and gathered her purse and lunch, then walked toward her building. Once she finally reached her desk, she sat with hands propping her chin, trying to remember what she was doing when she left yesterday. Blank again. She’d had bouts of depression in the past, but this was harder. Worse. It was so hard to think. If thoughts went through her mind, they were worry, fear, shame. But not remembering something constructive. Siiiggghhhhh.

    Before too long, her boss walked up to her desk and asked if the “plan” was ready. Plan?? She wondered. Hmmm…oh wait…

    “Oh the plan. Not completely. I’ll try to get it to you by the end of the day.” (Maybe she could throw something together by then.)

    “Lexi, something has to give. I needed your plan for this next project 3 days ago. We’re out of time. I have to present it tomorrow morning. What’s going on?” Her boss’s voice was rising…becoming shrill.

    “I’m sorry, Jill.” Tears filled Lexi’s eyes. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me but everything has become so much harder. Almost impossible. I can’t describe it, but my mind is blank, I have zero energy, and I feel hopeless that it’s ever going to get better. I’m so sorry. I don’t know what to do. I rack my brain, but I can’t figure out how to think, or to come up with ideas. I’m just blank and overwhelmed.”

    Jill stared at her, blinking. Incredulous. “Now you’re telling me this? Why didn’t you tell me weeks ago?”

    Jill turned on her heel and stormed back to her office.

    Shame, Disgust, and Hopelessness

    Lexi was disgusted with herself but had no idea how to find a solution. “I’m going to lose this job. Then I’ll lose my apartment. After that, I’ll be homeless because you can’t get a place to live without an income.”  The shock and terror of it all gripped her and she could hardly breathe.

    She stared at the papers on her desk. She knew it was too late to come up with anything helpful for Jill’s presentation in the morning. But she kept staring, hoping some new idea would spring into her mind. If only Lexi had realized how close she was to learning ketamine provides transformation for people suffering like this every day.

    Fifteen minutes later, Hannah walked up to Lexi’s desk, and slipped her a sticky note with a name and phone number scrawled on it. 

    “I couldn’t help but overhear, Lexi. I’ve noticed how you’ve seemed to be losing confidence lately, and you seem to be getting more and more down. I’ve noticed it especially the last few months. Maybe we could talk at lunch?”

    “Hi Hannah. Yes, it’s been harder and harder for me to function at all. I’ve been depressed before in my life, but this is worse than I’ve experienced before. I’m afraid I’m going to lose my job and I don’t know how to prevent it. What’s this?” She asked, holding up the stickie note.

    Hope Rises From a Stickie Note

    “That’s the phone number of a doctor not too far from here who offers an amazing treatment. My sister fell into a desperate place with depression and suicidal thinking. It lasted 6 months before she found out about this treatment. She went to this doctor’s practice, and received IV ketamine treatment… and she got so much better, she felt like herself again.  Ketamine treatment provides transformation for her.

    “The suicidal thinking stopped after the first infusion, and the depression symptoms lifted more and more over time as she received the infusions that followed. This honestly changed her life, Lexi. I thought you might like to look into it..? It might help you get back to yourself, too…?”

    Lexi stared at the scrap of paper. It was hard to compute what Hannah was saying. But she decided to call this number and see what she could find out.

    At lunch, she sat in her car and made the call. 

    The person she talked to was informative and kind. She explained that Lexi would need to meet with the psychiatrist for an evaluation to move forward. Lexi made an appointment because of what Hannah had described about her sister. If it worked for Hannah’s sister, maybe it would help Lexi, too. Apparently, ketamine treatment provides transformation for lots of people…? She hoped it would help her.

    Her appointment was set for two days away. When the time came, Lexi called in sick to work (she was sick, after all, right?), and spent a considerable time with the doctor, answering lots of questions the best she could.

    The doctor told her she was suffering from major depressive disorder (MDD) and while ketamine treatment wasn’t effective for everyone, it was actually transformative for many, many of her patients. And she felt it was very likely that it would make an enormous difference for Lexi.

    Lexi received the first infusion that afternoon. 

    Her neighbor drove her home afterward.

    Two days later she went in for another ketamine treatment. While she didn’t feel any better yet that afternoon, the doctor had explained that some people don’t begin to experience the antidepressant benefits right away. So she tried to not worry.

    That evening at home, she checked her email, and she’d received something from Hannah.

    A Study Confirms Ketamine Treatment’s Effectiveness

    “Hi Lexi, I was googling about ketamine treatment, and ran across this new article about a study at Northwestern University that was published in Cellular and Molecular Life Science just last week on February 27. See what you think.”

    Hmmm…Northwestern University, huh?

    Lexi opened the article, and as described, it described a study just published at that university. It said that treatments for depression need to act quickly, but they also need to have a sustained, long-term benefit.

    As part of the study, they learned that a major benefit of ketamine treatment is that it causes antidepressant effects within hours on newly formed brain cell connections, and it also causes more of these to be formed. So ketamine treatment can start to work quickly and continues to work over time— on these brand new connections as they form over time because of ketamine treatment.

    Apparently, ketamine treatment provides transformation for people rapidly, and long term, as well.

    The senior author of the study was John Kessler, MD, professor of neurology at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine. It sounded pretty credible to Lexi.

    She felt reassured that serious scientists were studying this treatment. She’d had no idea.

    Lexi soon received the 3rd and 4th infusions, and things began to change. She felt initiative… in the sense of pulling out the project they were working on in her job, and researching ideas to make it more effective. It felt so good to be feeling productive again…useful in a way. 

    She spoke with her boss the next day and told her she was getting treatment for depression, and she believed she was going to be able to contribute more again at work.

    She thought she’d only need 6 treatments. But she had two more. After 8 infusions, she was beginning to feel like her old self. Creativity began to bloom inside her, and she enjoyed sharing her ideas with the team. Even more reassuring, she had the energy she’d been lacking for so long, to do what needed to be done. She began to notice herself singing in the shower and walking quickly from the parking lot, with a sense of anticipation.

     Hannah agreed to meet her for dinner after work on Friday, and Lexi was eager to share all that had happened, and how it had transformed her. She expressed her deep gratitude for how Hannah had stuck her neck out to tell her about ketamine treatment. It had saved her job. And she wasn’t exaggerating when she told her it had saved her life, too.

    After about a month, Lexi felt that her outlook was slipping into some hopelessness and overwhelm again. The doctor had cautioned her about this possibility, so she made another appointment for a booster infusion.

    Afterward, and in the weeks to come, she felt much better again. And that built her confidence that if this ever happened again, she knew where to go. This thing about ketamine treatment providing transformation was very real. It would see her through.

    Ketamine Can Transform Your Life, Too

    When you find yourself in crisis with severe depression, and thoughts of suicide, ketamine treatment can stop those suicidal thoughts in an afternoon. It can replace the listlessness and despair of depression with a bright outlook, creativity, energy, and hope.

    If you’ve struggled like Lexi, or Hannah’s sister, and you need treatment to help you experience restoration to your best self and your best life, call us.

    We’re here to help you live again, give again, and enjoy the rewards of your life.

    You’ll be so glad you did.

    Lori Calabrese, M.D. is on the front end of the race to stop PTSD in its tracks using IV ketamine treatment.

    To the restoration of your best self,

  • Holiday Depression and Suicidal Thoughts at the New Year

    Holiday Depression and Suicidal Thoughts at the New Year

    Everyone seemed happy, excited, hopeful. Ryan sighed, looking at his feet. It had been a difficult year. His surgical practice had been slow to recover following the pandemic. Countless problems with his staff, endless conflicts, and reduced income. His wife of eight years had died from complications related to COVID and asthma 2 years ago. He felt listless – and didn’t know if it was grief or depression, but overwhelm threatened to suffocate him. He couldn’t feel. His normal, characteristic appetite for fun and humor had disappeared. And time was passing, but he didn’t seem to be getting any better. In fact, he honestly seemed to be getting worse. And worse. Over the last 2 years he’d tried medications and various treatments, but his despair hadn’t budged. He’d never experienced anything like this. And he didn’t know how he could face another year of this depression and suicidal thoughts.

    Friends Try to Help, But Their Help Misses Its Mark

    Paul, his best friend for 17 years, tried to help by reminding him of all he had to be thankful for. It didn’t help. His wife would talk about all the things they used to do, and the hilarious scrapes he and Paul would get into. Like the time they dressed up a cadaver in black tie and stood it behind the lectern at the front of the pathology class. The raised eyebrow of the professor when he walked in. 

    Or the time they placed field mice in the beds in the girls’ dorm at summer camp. There had been endless shenanigans in those days. 

    But now, everything had changed. This dark, vacant abyss.

    Depression and Suicidal Thoughts

    He missed his wife terribly. They’d been a formidable team. They’d talked about everything, and putting their heads together had usually resulted in outstanding, breakthrough solutions. He felt isolated now. And overwhelmed at trying to build his practice — and his life — again.

    But there was more to this than grief.

    Ryan’s mother had died 6 years ago. He had grieved deeply, but grieving took place inside him while he lived his life. It hadn’t robbed him of the capacity to function like this. His doctors called this depression, but he’d had no idea depression could scoop out his very sense of humanity like this, leaving nothing but a black hole … a shell.

    Ryan couldn’t help but feel he was a drain, a drag… a burden… on his sons.  His depression and suicidal thoughts had to be hard for them to be around. He thought about what a relief it would be for them if he didn’t exist anymore. He contributed little or nothing to their lives these last couple years. And with all he had tried to do to get better, nothing changed.

    He began to withdraw into himself and ruminate about how he might speed up his demise. And more and more he considered making it happen before New Year’s Eve.

    Paul contacted him often, just to let him know he was there…and that he cared. To communicate to Ryan that he was so valuable, so needed, so appreciated. But Ryan couldn’t really absorb his friend’s intent. 

    Ryan felt helpless. Hopeless. With waves of despair and futility. 

    Life Seemed to Be Ending

    He couldn’t picture life without this gaping, numb emptiness. He couldn’t form a picture of life like it used to be.

    This flat, lackluster existence. Ryan knew he wasn’t “right.” He’d known it for a long time. Maybe this state of being had snuck up on him, and he didn’t recognize it at first. But, as time dragged on, he realized the light was gone and had been for awhile. What was left were depression and suicidal thoughts.

    He used to enjoy basketball in the driveway, or dancing with his wife at concerts in the park. But now, he didn’t enjoy anything. He didn’t enjoy, period. Nothingness.

    Paul read everything he could find to learn more about how to help someone with severe depression. He learned that trying to cheer him up didn’t help. It just communicated his inadequacy because Ryan was unable to enjoy anything. And it would likely make him feel even more isolated and misunderstood.

    So Paul learned to stop doing that. He practiced just listening to Ryan, if he had an urge to talk. To communicate to him that he loved him and their friendship no matter what form it took. That Ryan didn’t need to perform. 

    He also read that he should not be afraid to mention suicidal thinking. That when someone is as depressed as Ryan was, thoughts of suicide were likely already going through his mind. So to shine a light on them, and to explore whether Ryan has considered various methods or has potential weapons in his possession, could actually be life saving.

    So… He Did.

    “Ryan, do you ever think about stopping your pain by ending your life?”

    Ryan was quiet a few moments.

    “Yes, depression and suicidal thoughts go through my mind every day. It occurs to me that the boys would be so much better off if they weren’t weighed down by my inertia. My gloom. The boys could go places, have fun.”

    Paul listened. 

    “I try to tell myself that I wouldn’t want to die if I was going to get better at some point. But then, that seems so unlikely. And I wouldn’t want to live out my life like this.”

    Paul took a breath.

    “Ryan, I can’t know what you’re experiencing. I just can’t. But I can know what I’m experiencing…and by extension, I can guess what the boys may be experiencing. And that is how much we all love you. We love who you are. Right now. We would NOT be better off – or free to have fun – if you were gone. We’d be lost. Grief stricken. Never the same again.”

    Ryan looked at Paul.

    “I mean it, man. You don’t have to perform or entertain us to serve some purpose in our lives. We love YOU. And we’re going to stand by you, embrace your presence, no matter what.

    Something Better than Just Another Pill

    “I also want to tell you about something significant I’ve learned about. Have your doctors suggested IV ketamine treatment?”

    “No.”

    “It’s becoming a pretty widespread treatment now, though it was more controversial 8 or 9 years ago. Ketamine is an anesthesia medicine that’s been used safely for the last 50 years or so. But now, it’s often used off-label to treat depression and other psychiatric conditions. Plus, it can stop suicidal thoughts in a few hours. By stopping those thoughts, it can give you the freedom to work on getting better.”

    “I’ve tried so many things, Paul.”

    “I know, man, I know. But for a lot of people, people whose treatments with other methods haven’t been effective, this is a game changer. And they say that the action of stopping suicidal thoughts is distinct and separate from its antidepressant properties. So both of those things would be working on your frame of mind. Would you like me to send you some links about it? If you decide you’re interested in exploring it, there is a prominent psychiatrist who offers this treatment a short drive away. 

    “When you think about how long you’ve suffered, do you think it might be worth your time to check it out?  No pressure, but I thought you had a right to this information.”

    “Sure…send me the link. I’ll read it.”

    IV Ketamine Therapy

    With the demands of work and family, Paul didn’t talk to Ryan until the following weekend. 

    Ryan told him he had made an appointment with this psychiatrist, and she had encouraged him to hope. “She said she had seen people who had been severely depressed for years start improving and even achieving remission with ketamine. 

    “She also assured me that ketamine could stop suicidal thoughts in an afternoon, and had been lifesaving to lots of people.

    “So I started my first infusion on Tuesday, then received another on Thursday. I can’t say I actually feel better at this point, but the suicidal thoughts have stopped. That in itself is an improvement.

    Depression and suicidal thoughts can crush your future, but ketamine can help you achieve remission.

    “She also explained that ketamine does a variety of things around the brain. It’s an NMDA receptor antagonist, and builds a dense network of synapses as a result of the brain-derived-neurotrophic-factor, the BDNF.

    It also works in the lateral habenula to improve my reward system, and can increase serotonin. So it actually targets my ability to enjoy. That’s a big factor. With our medical training, we can both see how all that supersedes what oral medications do.

    “I’m watching for improvement, and the boys have their eyes peeled, too.”

    “Wow! This is great news, man. Great news. Maybe we can meet for lunch after your session on Tuesday. I could pick you up and take you home afterwards. What do you think?”

    “Ok, that might be nice. Thanks for the offer. I may be a little squirrelly for awhile until it wears off.”

    “No worries, Ry. I’ll look forward to it.”

    Symptoms Improve Dramatically

    On Tuesday, after the infusion, Ryan noticed a lifting sensation. Almost a physical feeling in his chest, but somehow instinctively he knew it must be his sad emotions being lifted.

    “Weird,” he thought.

    At least it’s not my imagination, he mumbled.

    He actually enjoyed lunch with Paul, for the first time in a couple years. That emptiness and numbness…could it be changing? It was a little easier to talk, to think of something to say. Hmmmm….

    Even better, the compulsion to get off by himself and withdraw into silence…to avoid human contact… wasn’t so overwhelming. 

    A week later, Paul picked him up again, and they headed for lunch.

    “So how are you today, Ry?”

    Remission From Depression and Suicidal Thoughts

    “I’m improving. It’s a subtle process, but unmistakeable. Hope is brewing. I can actually see I’m improving. Still no thoughts of ending my life. And that listless, futile feeling is dissipating.

    I’m beginning to get glimpses of life without depression. I find myself thinking of something I want to get done, and I get up and do it. Honestly, I haven’t been able to do that in a looong time.

    “And…I looked forward to seeing you today! How about that??” Ryan smiled a bright smile.

    In all, Ryan received 10 infusions with dosages that increased incrementally each time. By that time, he was smiling and laughing. He felt relaxed and hopeful. He found he could enjoy things he used to enjoy…and over the coming weeks he felt better and better.

    Ryan also discovered that he had the power to follow through with activities and responsibilities that used to be integral to his life, but that he’d not been able to manage for a long while. Ryan looked to the new year with confidence. And hope.

    How Are You Doing?

    The holidays can be a difficult time, and for some it’s a painful time. When the people around you are having fun, it can magnify how bad you feel… and make you feel isolated.

    If you have been experiencing depression and suicidal thoughts, call us.

    IV ketamine treatment can stop suicidal thoughts in an afternoon, and help you achieve remission from your symptoms. We’re here to help.

    If you’re having suicidal thoughts or thoughts of hurting yourself, call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 now.

    And a very Happy New Year to you and your loved ones!

    Lori Calabrese, M.D. is on the front end of the race to stop PTSD in its tracks using IV ketamine treatment.

    To the restoration of your best self,

    New Year

  • Is Self Harm Tormenting Your Teen? Ketamine Can Help!

    Is Self Harm Tormenting Your Teen? Ketamine Can Help!

    Is self harm tormenting your child? Check in often on your teen's wellbeing.

    Kinsey recoiled when her mom screamed, “If you don’t cooperate I’m going to kill myself! Do you want that on your conscience??” The security she had felt when she was younger, with both parents making her world safe, seemed to be disintegrating. She felt guilty, confused, and terrified. She trusted her parents, but her mom was saying more and more shocking things, and Kinsey didn’t know what to think or feel. When her dad came home, they ate dinner, then from her room later she heard her parents shouting at each other. Kinsey sat in the corner in her room and pulled up her pants leg and slowly applied her Swiss army knife to the skin on her ankle…slowly but surely breaking the skin and making a tiny line of blood alongside the scars left from other times like this. Somehow as her skin stung from the cut, she began to feel some relief from the anguish. Self harm tormented Kinsey in the chaos of her family crisis.

    Strangely, Cutting Helped

    After awhile, she felt calmer. The angry sounds in the house became quiet.  She leaned her head against the wall and let out a breath. Pulling her sock up and smoothing her pants leg down over her ankle, she got up and crept downstairs. She found her mom in the kitchen.

    “Your father has become impossible to live with. I’m moving out tomorrow.”

    “Oh mom, NO!!!”

    “Yes, I can’t live with his self-righteous attitude another day. I need to be free to live my life.”

    If self harm torments your child, she may need IV ketamine for depression.

    Kinsey’s dad didn’t seem self-righteous to her… he just seemed tired. But she trusted her mom and if she said her dad was self-righteous then maybe he was. And if he was, then maybe it was his fault that her family was falling apart. Thoughts of self harm tormented and pulled at her.

    Her Parents Separate

    The next morning, while she ate her breakfast, her dad sat down with her and told how sorry he was that this was happening. He assured her he didn’t want her to feel she was choosing between her parents, but this was her home, her neighborhood, and if she preferred to stay here while her mom tried to figure out what she wanted, that was her prerogative. 

    He told her he loved her no matter where she was and would do all he could to support her through this.

    Tears filled her eyes. 

    When she got off the bus that afternoon and unlocked the door of her house, she discovered much of the furniture was missing.

    Kinsey was stunned.

    She didn’t even know where her mom had gone.

    Kinsey was shocked to discover turniture gone from her home. Self harm tormented her.

    She perched on a chair in the living room and wondered what to do with herself. Then, she began to cry. She felt afraid for her mom who seemed so lost. And angry at her dad for not preventing this.

    As was her habit at times like this, she pulled out her Swiss army knife and went to work on her ankle. There were now rows of scars from the cutting, and as she drew her finger across them, she felt a little better. Self harm tormented her as she drowned in anguish.

    Moving In With Mom

    A week later, her mom came by after school, told her where she had moved, and suggested they pack her belongings so she could move with her. Kinsey felt conflicted. She had grown up in this house, had friends in the neighborhood she’d known all her life. To move somewhere else sounded lonely.

    But, being without her mom seemed lonely too.

    Kinsey's mom had been nurturing throughout her life, in spite of her problems.

    Her dad was only home in the evening, and he was always tired. But he was the person who seemed to provide stability in their family. Even so, her mom had always nurtured her, in spite of her problems. And the thought of being without that left her feeling bereft and isolated…something like a life boat floating alone in the ocean. Thoughts of self harm tormented and nagged at her.

    So she filled her suitcase with clothes and her favorite items, along with her toothbrush, and loaded it into her mom’s car.

    Her anger toward her dad grew for letting this happen. And her need to stay near her mom to protect her became more intense.

    That night her dad called. He reminded her that he loved her, and missed her already. But he wanted her to do what she felt she needed to do. And invited her to come home for dinner on Friday night.

    She felt so alone as her mom withdrew from life.

    As the week dragged by she noticed her mom wasn’t doing well.

    Mom would be asleep when she got home from school, and didn’t wake up till dinner time. She told Kinsey there was bread and cheese in the fridge and to feel free to make herself a grilled cheese sandwich.

    What??

    Her mom not only moved out of their home, but was also no longer cooking for her? It was like Kinsey was living in an apartment by herself, taking care of herself. To add to that, her mom was barely functioning. Urges of self harm tormented her.

    At dinner on Friday she was afraid to tell her dad what was going on. The worse things got, the angrier toward him she felt.

    Weeks went by like this, and Kinsey felt herself sinking into a darker and darker place. Her life seemed so absurd, and her motivation to do well in her 8th grade classes began to fade. She clashed often with her mom, confronting her about her own responsibility, and her mom lashed back…often threatening suicide if Kinsey didn’t support her.

    Confrontations with her mom's threat of suicide led to self harm tormenting her.

    After these confrontations and her mom’s responses, Kinsey felt like she would explode. Sometimes she would slap herself and beat her fists against her head, unable to cope with the anguish she felt.  And there was just nowhere to turn for help. Self harm tormented her to find her knife.

    No one knew.

    Kinsey Withdraws

    Over the next few months, Kinsey and her dad went out for dinner once a week, and he’d try to encourage her to talk about her life, her school, her friends. She said very little, aside from frequent jabs at him for letting their family fall apart. 

    He tried to help her see that he hated all this, but did not have the power to control her mom’s behavior. He hinted that her mom had a disorder but was not willing to get treatment. So far…

    That just made Kinsey angrier.

    Finally, six months after her parents’ separation, he invited Kinsey to a long weekend trip at the beach. Kinsey loved the beach, the ocean waves, and the seafood.  But she didn’t want to be alone with her dad. Even so, she grudgingly agreed.

    They played in the waves, soaked up the sun, and enjoyed delicious seafood meals at the specialty restaurants along the boardwalk.

    After about 24 hours there, Kinsey began to relax.

    Is self harm tormenting your teen? IV ketamine can help.

    Dad Helps Kinsey Explore What’s Happened

    For the first time, her dad noticed that there were small parallel scars on Kinsey’s ankles. He was alarmed, but tried to not show it. As they sat in the shade, sipping lemonade freezes, her dad gently asked about the scars.

    She instinctively covered her ankles with her towel, because she didn’t want Dad to see how self harm tormented her. She didn’t understand it herself.

    “I don’t want to talk about it.”

    “I respect that, honey. Just know that I love you. No matter how awful all this is, nothing can change that…. The truth is, I’m hurting, too. I keep hoping we can put our family back together, and I don’t know how to do that. But meanwhile, you need to know how important you are to me, and that you’re not facing this alone.”

    “Mom’s not doing well.”

    “I can imagine that’s true. But do you feel safe at home?”

    “I feel like I have to take care of myself and mom. I’m tired. And I have no friends. I wish life was like it used to be. Sometimes I don’t want to live anymore.”

    Teens withdraw when they feel depressed and when self harm torments them.

    “Kinsey, it isn’t your job to take care of Mom. You’re 14 years old — geez! —and have your hands full with school and life. You need to have the freedom to spend time with friends and have fun. The truth is, you don’t have the power to change your mom’s choices. She has to do that for herself.

    “I’d like to ask you to at least think about coming back home and living with me, getting back with your friends, and letting your mom work out her own situation. It’s true that I can’t be there till dinner time, but maybe we could get help from your friends’ families for you to have company in the afternoons. 

    “Or maybe I could hire someone to be at the house when you come home from school, and cook dinner. We’ll figure something out so you aren’t alone. No pressure…just think about it. You deserve to be a kid.”

    Kinsey looked at her hands, and nodded.

    She thought about how many times when she was cutting her ankles, she thought how easy it would be to cut her wrists and escape all this.

    But she’d never done it. Not yet.

    They finished their lunch, then walked down the boardwalk and browsed in the shops. Kinsey bought a t-shirt and a tote bag to carry her towel and phone. She was relieved to not feel self harm tormenting her.

    Shopping can give a depressed teen a lift.

    She felt relief at being able to do these simple things in the sunshine after all these months in a dark apartment.

    Dad Offers Hope

    The next morning, over breakfast, Kinsey’s dad broached the subject again. 

    “Honey, I did some exploring on my laptop and learned some things I didn’t know before. I learned that sometimes teens cut or hit themselves when the anguish they feel is too much to bear.

    “That’s oversimplifying things, I know, but I wanted to suggest that we talk about what can be done to help you feel better.

    “Honey, it wouldn’t be surprising if your life has been harder to live the last couple years due to problems at home, and mom’s symptoms getting worse, and then your mom’s and my separation.

    “I can imagine it has all caused you a great deal of conflict, as well as feeling helpless. And it’s also possible that it has resulted in you becoming depressed. If that’s the case, then it’s treatable.  And you can feel better. Would you be willing to see a doctor to find out if there is something that would help?”

    “Dad, the idea that something can be done to help me feel more like living than wishing I could die sounds hopeful, in a way… But who knows? I have no idea.”

    Kinsey felt so much better after IV ketamine treatment.

    “Ok, I learned there’s a treatment that can do amazing things for depression. It’s called IV ketamine treatment. If it’s ok with you, I’d like to take you to the doctor to see what she says…”

    Ketamine Treatment for Depression

    The following Wednesday, Kinsey’s dad picked her up at school and took her to the appointment he’d made with a psychiatrist he’d found who offered ketamine treatment.

    After taking a thorough history, she agreed that Kinsey suffered from major depressive disorder, and that her self-harming behaviors were linked to it. She was very hopeful that IV ketamine treatment could make a real difference.

    So her dad left work early to pick her up at school twice a week, to receive these infusions.

    By the third infusion, she could feel herself relaxing. She told her dad she’d like to come back to live with him, she was just worried about her mom being ok.

    The idea of dying, or escaping through death, had faded away and she wasn’t thinking like that anymore.

    By the fifth infusion, she began to feel hope, and a sort of brightness. In all, she received 8 infusions, and continued to feel more and more upbeat for weeks after the last one.

    A teen girl needs friends outside her family to develop socially.

    She embraced her school work again, and laughed with her friends. When she woke up, she sang in the shower in the morning, and walked to the bus with a spring in her step.

    She finally realized she hadn’t cut herself in weeks, which was a relief when she realized it. Self harm tormented her no longer.

    Kinsey also had the resilience to call her mom and talk to her, no matter how her mom reacted, and to hang up knowing her mom’s problems weren’t her fault. That’s not to say her mom’s confusion didn’t cause Kinsey to cry at times, but it was because she was sad for her, and loved her, but not because she thought it was her responsibility to save her.

    In the safety of her home, with her dad’s support, Kinsey began to thrive again. 

    How About Your Teen?

    Your teen can recover from the torment of self harm and depression with IV ketamine treatment.

    More and more, we see teens whose life circumstances or psychiatric symptoms are so difficult, that they use self-harm to cope. It’s easy for parents to miss, because whatever harm they inflict on themselves is carefully hidden.

    Parents can gently and respectfully approach their teens, check on their wellbeing, and hopefully verify whether they’ve harmed themselves through hitting, cutting, burning themselves or even breaking bones repeatedly, so they can offer hope through treatment.

    If your teen can relate to Kinsey’s symptoms or circumstances, call us.

    Since teens don’t have the development to cope with severe circumstances that they may have in adulthood, it’s imperative to help relieve them of emerging behaviors like self harming.

    When self harm torments long enough, it can become compulsive. So early treatment is important. Ketamine treatment can be effective in stopping self-harm.

    Together, let’s help them thrive again and grow into a bright future.

    If you or your teen suffers from suicidal thoughts, Help is Available. Call the Suicide and Crisis Hotline 988 now.

    Lori Calabrese, M.D. is on the front end of the race to stop PTSD in its tracks using IV ketamine treatment.

    To the restoration of your best self,

    Let us help you help them.

  • It’s Never Too Late to Heal from Brokenness and Failure

    It’s Never Too Late to Heal from Brokenness and Failure

    You can heal from brokenness and failure after depression.

    Caryn lay in bed, looking around the room. She’d been here in this bed for months. The mess had piled up from doing so little, and her finding no initiative to get up and do anything. No energy, either emotionally or physically. She looked across the room at the pile of clutter collected on her desk. She’d never lived like this before. She liked a tidy house, but had just been enduring…surviving…for the past year. (How could she heal from the brokenness and failure that overwhelmed her?) Her closest friends had known her for many years, and knew this wasn’t like her. They instinctively knew something was wrong. She thought that surely she could get up and just start putting things away from the top of that dresser, but when she tried, she gave up in a few minutes. It was just too much.

    She had a history of periods of depression, but Caryn had finally seen a psychiatrist when she was in her 40’s. After a few tries they’d found an antidepressant that helped. That one medicine had helped her feel like herself again, and supported her through the ups and downs of life. When a loved one had died, she was sad and she grieved a good while. But she still functioned. It wasn’t like the depressions that used to cut her off at the knees anymore… until now.

    Antidepressant Just Stopped Working

    But now, for whatever reason, the antidepressant had stopped working. She couldn’t sleep… but lay awake through the nights with her mind racing. All too often, she saw the sun rise, as she soaked in despair.

    And she seemed to keep plunging deeper. Caryn lived alone, and the pandemic had isolated her in her house. She found herself revisiting memories from her life. She thought about a string of incidents that took place with various loved ones. Her sister, her children… her parents.

    Depression can make it seem you'll never heal from brokenness and failure.

    And though she’d always been a generally kind and understanding person, she wasn’t perfect. She knew that. But the excursions through her mountain of memories took her on deep dives into the depths of what occurred in those incidents. It seemed her insights were heightened and distorted, and she found herself privy to how her oversights and less than sensitive responses to people she truly cared about had caused them deep hurt. 

    She hadn’t realized at the time, but now all these mistakes came flooding in.

    She couldn’t bear to think she had scarred people she loved. Could they heal from her mistakes? Could she heal from such brokenness…. Such failure? The more she thought about these incidents in the past, the darker she felt. Her energy for life seemed to drain away. 

    Her husband had left her when the children were growing up, and she had been devastated. When he left, her belief in herself – and her sense of worth – went with him. If she had been a valuable person, he would have wanted to be with her. At least, that seemed obvious to her at the time.  She suffered that her poor children had had to grow up with only her as a parent.

    When her children were born, she believed in herself and her talent as a wise and loving parent. But now those beliefs seemed to dismantle and disintegrate by the day, and she became increasingly more convinced that she had utterly failed them all. 

    The more she thought about it, the darker she became inside. And the darker her outlook, the more numb she felt. 

    During good times in your life you don't realize how how depression will make you look back at those times as failures.

    Sometimes the memories of the business she had built flooded her. Talk about failure. Could she ever heal from it and the brokenness that had replaced it? She was on her game back then. She’d overcome her divorce grief to build a worthwhile business that performed an important service. 

    She had pushed through her fears and had developed a client list of Fortune 500 companies. She flew around the country solving IT problems, while managing a team of 24 contractors who did the same. Her company’s reputation for clean, fast, and brilliant solutions grew fast and she enjoyed a level of income and respect she’d never dreamed.

    Then, the software her team supported became less popular after 12 years, and the need for their skills waned. They worked together to build new, more marketable, skills for the current market, but their expertise wasn’t as deep, and their reputation suffered. For four more years she held onto her business with white knuckles, until she had to close it. 

    She had been devastated. Stripped bare.

    Now, the pandemic was subsiding. 

    But as she lay in bed, she felt like she would drown in the pain of those failures. Her sense of inadequacy, as she looked back over her life, overwhelmed her. It seemed impossible that she could heal from the brokenness of her failures and mistakes.

    Broken dreams, shattered hope, splintered relationships. What a mess she’d made of her life. 

    Where could she go from here? What was left? 

    Caryn found herself wondering if this is how life ends. She felt isolated from people who loved her. It didn’t seem to her it would matter much to others if she just died. She thought of the expensive set of sharp cooking knives in the kitchen drawer. It would be so easy to end this.

    Steeped in that thought, she was jarred back to the present with a knock at the door.

    Depression can be suffocating, and you wonder if you can heal from your brokenness.

    Her old friend, Renee, stood there with sacks of groceries. Caryn felt self-conscious about her appearance, but grateful for the food. Going to the grocery store was a rare occurrence for her. It was just too hard to get out.

    “Caryn, how are you feeling?”

    “I’m ok, Renee. Just not up to much.”

    Renee responded, “I wanted to tell you that one of the teachers at school talked to me today about her husband, who has been struggling with depression for nearly a year.  They heard about IV ketamine treatment and that it can lift depression dramatically. She said her husband went to a psychiatrist who offers this treatment combined with a special diet, and after a couple months her husband seems like his old self again.

    “I wrote down the name of the doctor, in case you might like to research all this online.”

    “That sounds very nice. I’m so glad for her husband. It’s hard for me to share the enthusiasm, but that could just be because I don’t feel enthusiasm about anything these days. I question whether I can ever heal from the brokenness and failure I feel. But I will look online to see what I can find. I appreciate you giving me the information.”

    Renee put the groceries on her kitchen counter, hugged her, and left.

    So Renee got back in bed and googled IV ketamine treatment, and the name of the doctor.  She learned that depression isn’t just a “mental” illness, but an illness that affects the whole body.

    How can you pull yourself out of depression when you feel so defeated by your own failures?

    It helped her understand why she didn’t feel like getting out of bed. Why her limbs felt heavy and without energy. Why her lack of energy felt mental, emotional, and physical. In fact, it was spiritual, too.

    The idea that something was wrong in her whole body, and that there could be treatment for it, gave her the first glimmer of something akin to hope. Maybe…just maybe…she could get treatment that would help her feel alive again. 

    Was It Possible?

    Caryn felt such a deep need to heal from her brokenness and failure, and had no idea if this treatment could help. But she called her daughter and son-in-law, and asked if she could stay with them a few weeks so they could help her get to her infusions. They welcomed her and promised to pitch in with driving her.

    Then she called the doctor she’d learned about and made an appointment for an evaluation.

    It was hard for her to shower, pack some clothes, and load the car. She spread the arrangements out over 2 days – she was moving slowly – then set off on the 2 hour drive to her daughter’s house.

    Since she’d been in bed so long, she had very little stamina. But her daughter helped her get ready and drove her to each infusion appointment. In between they talked at length about improving her diet with foods rich in flavonoids, omega 3 fatty acids, and low carbs…as well as taking walks together each day to start building her stamina again.

    With her daughter putting blueberries and strawberries in front of her each morning, and glazed salmon, cucumber, tomato, mozzarella and onion salad for lunch, and chicken piccata, avocados, and asparagus for dinner, Caryn began to notice a change. 

    She was feeling better.

    They took short walks with the dog in the mornings and afternoons, then Caryn rested afterward.

    She didn’t notice much change after the first three ketamine infusions, but after the fourth it seemed that a wall was coming down inside her. Hard to describe but she could feel it.

    And light began to trickle into her consciousness replacing the darkness that had been her constant companion for so long. She was beginning to believe in the routine they had created, as she felt the bottomless pit inside her filling in more and more.

    She’d been adrift, but now it felt as through a solidness was growing under her feet. Like she was less vulnerable. Less hollow. 

    Despair was fading.

    In its stead she felt bits of hope at first, then more and more. 

    She began to believe she really could heal from all the brokenness and failure that had smothered her.

    When you heal from brokenness and failure you can live and love again.

    After a month with her daughter, Caryn hugged her and her son-in-law and thanked them for their help and support when she needed it so desperately, and assured them she was ready to go home. 

    Once home, she hired someone to come over and help her put things away and clean the house so she had a fresh start.  After that, she had the clarity of mind and purpose to put things away again as she used them, so she could continue to enjoy the clean house. The miracle was that she could.

    She gave herself rest breaks and times of solace when she needed it, but began to occasionally call up Renee and meet her for lunch. Then, she made time for another friend, too.

    Recovery was a process, but IV ketamine and her daughter’s care had given her the tools to move forward. 

    And she was so grateful to be feeling so much better.

    And what about you? What about your loved ones?

    You can heal from brokenness and failure with IV Ketamine treatment.

    Can you identify with the things Caryn suffered?

    Depression can come unexpectedly. And it can seem to swallow all of yourself.

    But there’s hope.

    If you’ve been hurt, disappointed, devastated by the actions of others… or yourself… and have been overwhelmed with despair, call us.

    Don’t let failure and brokenness become life threatening for you. You can live again, relish joy again, and and build loving relationships again. 

    Let us help you find your way back to joy.

    If you have thoughts of suicide or hurting yourself, call 988, the Suicide and Crisis Hotline. Talk to someone who can help.

    Lori Calabrese, M.D. is on the front end of the race to stop PTSD in its tracks using IV ketamine treatment.

    To the restoration of your best self,

  • Did You Know Alcohol & Substance Misuse Increase Suicide Risk?

    Did You Know Alcohol & Substance Misuse Increase Suicide Risk?

    Alcohol and substance misuse increase risk of suicide.

    Tom woke up, his head pounding, and he ached all over. The dark cloud that followed him everywhere was back. The partying last night gave him a brief reprieve, but it was over. He slowly dragged himself out of bed and thought about how disappointing it was that he woke up. He didn’t realize he was playing with fire, or that alcohol and substance misuse increase suicide risk.

    He just wanted relief.

    The nagging wish to stop living like this wrapped itself around him and through him to his core. It wasn’t the booze and pills that he wanted to be free of. It was the darkness, the pit, the vacant emptiness, the ache.

    A lifetyle of over indulging increases risk of suicide.

    His lifestyle of repeatedly over indulging, getting high, and oblivion was the one thing that gave him minutes of relief. 

    Minutes when he felt good for a change.

    Tom drank a couple mugs of coffee to try to clear his head, took a shower, and headed to his job. He had a degree in business management, but since the depression and anxiety had gotten so much worse, it flattened his ambition. He was just hanging on. Trying to get through the day. In fact, he held on to get through the hour…the slow, dragging minutes.

    By lunchtime he didn’t know if he could get through the day, but he needed this paycheck. So he had to endure…and thought about what he would do after work to feel better. He started planning in his head to occupy his mind. That was a whole lot better than just slogging through work.

    That night, Tom met up with friends he sometimes partied with. He contributed a bottle of bourbon, malt whiskey, and a case of beer he put on ice. The other two friends brought more of the same, plus some pills. 

    Alcohol and substance misuse increase risk of suicide.

    Tom hated the morning after. He always did. But the whole purpose was to construct relief. Respite from his misery. And this time was no different. He wanted to drown his pain. So he popped pills, guzzled beer and slammed shots with abandon.

    However, this time he didn’t wake up with his head pounding. The “blackout” that followed all that he swallowed pulled him into a coma. One of his friends woke up from his own stupor and couldn’t wake Tom or his other friend. He called 911.

    Their friend was pronounced dead at the scene, and Tom was rushed to the hospital where emergency personnel fought for his life. 

    After 2 weeks in the ICU, Tom began to gain consciousness. They told him his alcohol poisoning was nearly fatal, which was really hard for him to grasp. But it was even worse realizing his friend William had died that night.

    Were they trying to end their lives? Had they tried to die before and — since it hadn’t happened — did they think they were indestructible? Was it really “partying” or was it flirting with death, in hopes of escaping their misery..?

    These are questions that surround the growing numbers of people who misuse alcohol and substances… and die as a result.  Do they realize that alcohol and substance misuse increase suicide risk?

    Is an overdose suicide or an accident?

    Self medicating depression symptoms increases risk of suicide.

    September is National Suicide Prevention Month. Research has illuminated the complicated relationship between alcohol use disorder, substance use disorder…and suicidal thinking, suicide attempts, and suicide deaths. The purpose of National Suicidal Prevention Month is to inform society and equip you to recognize risk factors among your own friends, family, and coworkers.

    For a long time we’ve recognized that alcohol and substance use disorders are associated with suicide risk. And when substance use is combined with alcohol use, there is a much higher risk of fatalities by suicide.

    When you consider that alcohol and substances are widely used to self medicate symptoms that may not have been addressed and treated, it makes sense to treat the symptoms and talk openly about suicidal thoughts that can be stopped by IV ketamine.

    Alcohol and substance misuse are not the only risk factors for suicidal thinking or fatalities —but they can increase risk of suicide a hundred fold.

    A hundred fold greater risk. That’s staggering.

    When you identify these risk factors in the life of someone you care about, you can save a life by opening up conversation about suicidal behaviors and thoughts.

    IV ketamine can give you remission from depression and suicidal throughts.

    Talk about the symptoms that lead to self medication — because there is hope through treatment of those symptoms.

    And IV ketamine can stop suicidal thoughts in a few hours. And allow you time to seek the treatment that will make your life better.

    If you’re experiencing suicidal thoughts or plans, call 988, the National Suicide Hotline. 

    Someone who understands what you’re feeling is waiting to talk with you.

    If you’re plagued by thoughts of suicide and want to seek IV ketamine treatment to stop those thoughts, call us.

    IV ketamine can stop those thoughts in an afternoon, and buy you time to seek treatment and counseling for a more rewarding life.

    We’re here to help.

    Lori Calabrese, M.D. is on the front end of the race to stop PTSD in its tracks using IV ketamine treatment.

    To the restoration of your best self,

  • If Your Teen is Thinking of Suicide: Save Her with IV Ketamine

    If Your Teen is Thinking of Suicide: Save Her with IV Ketamine

    When your teen contemplates suicide, take it seriously and seek IV ketamine treatment.

    Shannon was 13 and woke up almost every morning disappointed to realize she was still alive. Her last thought before falling asleep was usually hoping, praying, she would not wake up in the morning. Her misery was difficult to describe but it involved every aspect of her life — parents and family, her school work, her friends, and her health. Shannon knew something was wrong. But didn’t know what IV ketamine could do. (When your teen is thinking of suicide, she may not even realize that’s where that could really go.) Her mom always said, “If everything and everyone around you seems wrong, maybe it’s time to look at yourself.”

    She did look at herself, and didn’t blame anyone else for her frame of mind. She didn’t intend to be creating trouble of any kind…she just felt so bad…so, so bad. Shannon felt like a failure at school, always hearing from her teachers that she was she was “not living up to her potential.” She couldn’t focus, didn’t have the drive to do her assignments or study. And coping with other kids at school every day was painful and exhausting. She had nothing to say, and people shunned her because they thought she was standoff-ish. 

    Shannon didn’t intend withdraw, but it was all she could do. Her social anxiety was cruel and crippled her efforts at connecting with anyone.

    She didn’t feel like her parents understood her, and her brother and sister never stopped ribbing her and poking at her.

    Her parents would have sit-down talks with her and try to whip up her motivation, her commitment to her “responsibilities” … and it just discouraged her all the more. It proved to her what a failure she was.

    They thought she would grow out of it, that time would just eventually give her a little boost, or that she would find a surge to enjoy life.

    So they waited.

    Shannon thought about dying often, but didn’t know if she had the courage to take action.

    Months and months of this without improvement led Shannon’s parents to find a therapist and psychiatrist for her, and they put all their hopes on this treatment. Over the next year, fruitless talk, prescribed medication, adjusted doses, and then new medication…. brought no improvement. 

    Shannon had lived with this despair, hopelessness, anxiety, and listlessness, as well as feeling utterly worthless, for years — and she just couldn’t do it anymore. It seemed pretty clear to her that the rest of her life would be like this. The only solution was to stop living.

    Then at school, a girl in her class told her she’d been in class with her for two years and noticed Shannon always seemed to carry a burden. Since she’d herself been deeply depressed, and had been a teen thinking of suicide, she thought she recognized it in Shannon.

    She said, “I just want you to know you’re not alone. I’ve been there.”

    Shannon told her she didn’t know why she felt so bad, and turned to walk away. The girl, Christy, rushed to catch up.

    “Do you ever feel like you want to die? I did, and I wonder if it’s the same for you,” Christy offered.

    “All the time,” Shannon responded.

    “Would you like to meet up after school? Maybe we could hang out…talk…?”

    When a teen contemplates suicide, it's vital to take it seriously and get ketamine.

    Shannon was hesitant. She didn’t really know Christy that well, though they’d been in classes together. She was afraid she wouldn’t have anything to say. It would take energy she didn’t really have. ….Still, Christy seemed to understand what she was going through. She pushed herself to accept.

    “Ok.”

    They met and walked to Christy’s car. She drove them to a cute little place that served frozen yogurt.

    They each got a cup and found a table. Before long, Shannon was talking about her situation and Christy listened, seeming to know how to ask the right questions.

    Finally Shannon asked, “How do you know so much about all this? You seem fine.”

    Christy told her about her own depression, how desperate she had felt, how hopeless. Then she read about a treatment that turned out to be her answer.

    “IV ketamine treatment.” It’s used for anesthesia, but in the last 10 or 15 years it’s become a pretty amazing treatment for depression. It’s not like the pills you’ve tried. Some people feel great after the first infusion. For others, it takes a few infusions before they feel better. In general, the treatment requires a series of infusions, 6 or 8 or so, maybe more, and it can transform the way you feel. It’s hard to describe, but my suicidal thoughts stopped — it was like poof! — and my depression completely lifted.

    “The reason I approached you, is because I know what it’s like to be deeply, dangerously depressed.  I know the thoughts you probably have, and I wanted you to know there is hope. If there is anything I can do to help, I will.”

    After Christy took Shannon home, Shannon talked to her parents. She told them about her talk with Christy and her desire to look into IV ketamine treatment. They all looked online for more information, to understand the risks and benefits.

    Christy had given Shannon the name of the doctor who had provided the treatment for her so Shannon gave it to her parents. Before bed, Shannon’s mom gently asked her if she had had any thoughts of dying. She thought maybe her teen is thinking of suicide.

    Shannon stared at her hands.

    Her mom told her that in her research of IV ketamine, she had learned that ketamine was especially good for suicidal thoughts. That it can actually erase those thoughts.

    “Shannon, honey, hang on. Tomorrow I’ll call and get you an appointment. Let’s see what this treatment can do. Will you hang on with me?”

    Shannon nodded.

    The next day, her mom made an emergency appointment and took Shannon in for a comprehensive consultation and she was able to get a ketamine infusion that same afternoon.

    Within a couple hours, Shannon’s suicidal thoughts stopped. The depression didn’t feel much better yet but the thoughts and images of killing herself were gone. They made appointments for the rest of the series of infusions.

    After the second infusion, Shannon thought she might feel slightly better. Still hopeless, despairing, and without energy, but she got out a book from English class and began to read an assignment.

    When your teen contemplates suicide, IV ketamine can stop suicidal thoughts fast.

    She hadn’t made any effort with school in months. Initiative, her mom thought. 

    Then, after the third infusion, she could tell she was feeling better. Like sparks of light were seeping through the darkness of the last few years. From that point, she continued to feel better and better. After her 7th infusion, she was laughing, talkative with her family, sometimes singing under her breath. And as time went by she just kept improving. She worked with her teachers and explained her story, and made arrangements to make up her missed work.

    Her parents were flabbergasted at the change they saw in her. She completed the year with A’s and B’s in every class, and enjoyed her school work… was motivated to excel.  She talked on the phone with friends… and even went on a few dates.

    Shannon and Christy became good friends, with their common history of depression and recovery. And together they reached out to other teens who were thinking of suicide.

    Teen suicide is the third leading cause of death in young people between the ages of 10 and 14. It’s the second leading cause of death in people aged 15 to 24. It’s extremely important to recognize signs of depression as well as signs of suicidal thinking in teens and take action.

    Because teens can be impulsive, suicide is a higher risk at this stage of life. The prefrontal cortex is not fully developed until the mid twenties, so executive decision making can be impaired. Teens may not think of the consequences of a decision that an adult over 30 is more likely to consider. 

    In addition, while depression is a serious risk factor for suicide, about half of those who commit suicide did not have symptoms of depression.

    Some people can seem fine, are productive and excelling in life, when they cause their own death. So it’s important to talk with your teen about suicide in an open and matter-of-fact manner. Check in with them often. 

    Be sure your family is familiar with the new hotline for suicide: 9-8-8.

    And know that IV ketamine treatment is available to help you recover. It’s not a fluke or a passing trend. (People might have thought that years ago when I first started providing this treatment.) Ketamine has been used for over 50 years safely. You may hear people disparage this amazing medicine as a horse tranquilizer, a psychedelic used on the streets as Special K, and other misnomers. The fact is that it’s been used in combat since the Vietnam war, is used for an anesthetic for humans and animals — and in the 21st century, it’s been studied and used effectively for depression, and other mood disorders. Like most good medicines for pain, ketamine has also been abused as a party drug for its dissociative properties.

    But make no mistake.

    When your teen contemplates suicide, IV ketamine can restore their joy for life.

    IV ketamine is one of the most, if not THE most, effective depression treatments available. It has a broad effect on the brain in the hippocampus, amygdala, the prefrontal cortex and the lateral habenula. It turns on mRNA which switches DNA to “ON” and triggers a proliferation of brain derived neurotrophic factor. This in turn acts like a compost to turbo boost the dendrites and dendritic spines on the brain neurons, to vastly multiply connections between brain cells, lighting up the brain with creative thought, bright emotions, hope, and confidence.

    When your teen is thinking of suicide — when your child is thinking of suicide— you may recognize the signs… or you may not even dream they’re considering it because they appear so active and successful. Don’t be caught unawares. Encourage your kids to talk about their feelings. And know that a self-reliant successful person can be suicidal without showing signs.

    Our goal is to help those who feel trapped in their frame of mind and in suicidal thoughts. Ketamine can stop suicidal thinking even before depression lifts—and that’s ok. It can save a life. It can save your life.

    If you feel like Shannon, or worry about your own suicidal thoughts, call us.

    We’ll help you with the best ketamine treatment available to be free of those thoughts, and give you the time you need to pull in everything you need to get better.

    You’re not alone. We’re here to help.

    Lori Calabrese, M.D. is on the front end of the race to stop PTSD in its tracks using IV ketamine treatment.

    To the restoration of your best self,

  • Suicide at Christmas? Who would do such a thing? and WHY???

    Suicide at Christmas? Who would do such a thing? and WHY???

    People like your mom, your brother, your nephew, your grandfather, your aunt…your spouse or son or daughter. This time of year is a time of disappointments, when broken relationships or perceived failures are felt most deeply, and those loved ones who have died before are acutely missed.

    For some, it’s a logical time to find reasons to die. Suicide at Christmas is all too common, so we need to be tuned in to those around us for signs of grief, defeat, despair, or inappropriate cheer which can be a way of hiding disturbing thoughts.

    Monty was depressed, but it was hard for his family and friends to grasp how he sees this holiday season. When he arrived downcast, instead of with an air of celebration, it was easy for them to be impatient with his “downer” attitude.

    For his family, it was hard to wrap their heads around the idea that some people aren’t living in the moment of Christmas, excited about exchanging gifts and seeing friends and relatives they haven’t seen in forever.

    Rather, some, like Monty, may be suffering about things that happened in years past, and the holiday atmosphere brings the memory to life.                  

    Monty felt responsible for a tragedy long ago, and assumed everyone present was blaming him. He also resents some people who are present whom — he feels — carry some blame for the tragedy. 

    And sometimes, everyone’s cheer is more than he can bear. So he looked for a way to escape the noise and pressure. To find a private corner to be alone in his sorrow. He also thought a little bottle of spirits would be just the thing to help him forget.

    With all the festive chatter and cheer, it’s easy to miss a pending suicide at Christmas.

    What does the family see?  It’s likely they don’t see Monty suffering helplessly. Sadly, what they often see is the family screwup getting drunk instead of “contributing” to the family experience. They see selfishness. And they pour shame on this family member whose complicated life they don’t understand.

    But suffering isn’t necessarily selfish at all, is it? Sometimes it’s just misery. Despair. Hopelessness. 

    And when someone like Monty knows he’ll be judged for his suffering,  when he (or she) KNOWS he will find no compassion — only criticism — sometimes that alone is enough to push him deeper into his dark place. And in that place, he may make the decision to stop the misery by destroying himself.

    Let’s hope not.

    But it’s for these reasons–and many others–that the holidays is a time that some people take their lives. Sometimes privately, or in a clandestine way, and sometimes in a public way.

    There is no simple solution to the conflicts in a family gathering that includes someone who is susceptible to suicidal thoughts and/or actions.

    Every family has conflicts, whether spoken or unspoken… secret resentments or boisterous loud ones. Jealousies, insecurities, and differences of opinion. What’s the saying..?  “If we both think alike, one of us is superfluous.“

    Variety is the spice of life, but in a family, subtle differences can stimulate conflict. And that happens a lot.

    But for someone like Monty, whose mind makes him feel hurt more deeply, who has a fractured sense of himself, those differences can torment. Devastate.

    And those minor conflicts among family can highlight Monty’s insecurities and shame.

    So while you can’t save everyone all the time, you can offer a warm hug or handshake, a friendly and compassionate conversation. You can seek ways to set the suffering one at ease. A little effort and genuine support can prevent a suicide at Christmas.

    And who’s the suffering one?

    It’s the one who seems to always create a scene, gets into trouble when the family is trying to celebrate. It’s the one who sits alone looking down, awkward, or angry. Like Monty. Or maybe she looks like she’s going to cry. 

    You most likely know who it is in your family who tends to be the lightning rod. That family member you watched grow up… and he surprised you with his mistakes, problems, scrapes… just so many things. That loved one is possibly in pain and needs love and acceptance to get through this holiday. If he seems like a clown, he just may be laughing on the outside but crying on the inside…

    If THAT one disappears, find out where he is. He may have gone to the backyard to whittle on a stick. Or he may have left with plans to jump off a bridge. No, you’re not your brother’s keeper …but you are someone who can show compassion and caring if someone is in danger of serious injury. Your act of love can thwart a suicide at Christmas and that may give someone like Monty some much needed time.

    How hard is it to listen?

    If you have a family member like Monty, you likely know who it is.  And you may be weary of their shenanigans. But, maybe, just maybe, they can use acceptance, someone to listen. So ask them their story. And let them talk… and show you’re listening.

    IF…and that’s a big IF… but IF they’re contemplating suicide this is a good time to listen to them talk about it. Don’t be afraid to even ask, “Do you ever feel like hurting yourself?” and then, “What about now?” Opening the door of communication without judgment can be lifesaving. Call the Suicide Hotline at the bottom of this post.

    Many who are contemplating suicide at Christmas have been suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder for months caused by the reduction of light in the fall months. Don’t think anytime of the year is devoid of suicide risk. Whatever cheers up one person, is just as likely to trigger suicidal thinking in another.

    In addition, the risk of suicide doesn’t end during the holiday season, but actually increases in January.

    Also, it’s good for you to be equipped with the knowledge that if he’s thinking about suicide, IV ketamine can stop those suicidal thoughts in an afternoon. So he can be free of the tortuous thoughts and mental images… and focus on getting better through therapy, medication, or IV ketamine treatment for depression.

    In fact, in our practice, we’re transparent about how we can help. We’ve looked at results, published them, and presented (nationally internationally) on the effect of IV Ketamine Infusions for Suicidal Thinking showing how they can prevent a trip to the Emergency Room, or a hospitalization.

    To be able to remove suicidal thoughts in a day is life changing, even life saving, for so many.

    At Touchpoints180™, we’re privileged to see people come in racked in the throes of suicidal thinking, and often see them at peace a few hours later. Stopping suicidal thoughts isn’t a cure-all. But it gives you time to seek treatment, participate in therapy, and overall pursue remission. It keeps you safe while you get better.

    Receive your ketamine treatment in a comfy recliner to erase memory triggers of alcohol use.

    When you come in for your infusions, you can just sink into your recliner, settle back and relax. That white box on the lamp table labeled Novaerus is a wonderful piece of advanced technology that destroys the DNA of viruses, bacteria, and mold spores in the air. This plasma cell technology was designed for the International Space Station, and is outstanding in removing 99.99% of all pathogens in the air and specific to the square footage of your infusion suite. So you’ll breathe pure, clean, safe air. Your mind can rest at ease knowing you’re safe from infection (including COVID-19 delta, lambda, and omicron) in this uncertain world.

    Don’t let suicidal thoughts rob you of your life. if you have symptoms of suicidal thoughts, call us.

    Also call if you have a loved one like Monty who’s been having suicidal ideas.

    Life can be so much better when your symptoms are out of the way. Imagine that…life without symptoms of despair, hopelessness. You deserve a life worth living and the power to live it. Let us help.

    Reach out for a life free of shame and despondency. Let us help.

    The Happiest of Holidays to you and yours.

    If you — or someone you know — is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text “home” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.

    Lori Calabrese, M.D. is on the front end of the race to stop PTSD in its tracks using IV ketamine treatment.

    To the restoration of your best self,

  • Loss of a Loved One by Suicide is a Great Grief for Loved Ones

    Loss of a Loved One by Suicide is a Great Grief for Loved Ones

    On November 20, we observed International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day. While a single day dedicated to observe such loss is a meager effort, it’s not nearly enough.

    Few losses magnify the sense of powerlessness like the loss of a loved one by suicide. Many times the loss comes after an extended period, months or years, of suicidal attempts. Sometimes the family and friends are surprised by this event. When they are, it’s natural for denial to protect them for a time from the reality of the loss. What could I have done to prevent this? How could I have saved him? If only…

    Crystal, at 45, felt deeply spent. Since her son, Jake, was in first grade, she’d worried about him and how to help him find more joy in life. To experience the day to day routine with joy and contentment. To feel proud of his accomplishments. And to want to improve. 

    Instead, he was a loving, sweet child who seemed overwhelmed by life. He carried a massive weight of inferiority on his shoulders.

    In the early years, a child with a psychiatric disorder may show dramatic signs of it. Signs that make it easier to diagnose. Or he may have more subtle signs. He may feel heartbroken much of the time for reasons that are difficult to identify. 

    He may be often corrected by his teachers. And he may feel like the class dunce because he fails to win their favor. He may tell himself he’s fundamentally flawed and not worthy of approval. Such a philosophy about himself can be deeply damaging.

    Jake became increasingly symptomatic as he moved through his teens. He was admitted to psychiatric units multiple times, with complex diagnoses of comorbid conditions.

    With each hospitalization, Jake learned more about himself and his illness, and so did his mom.

    But once he was discharged from the facility, he might function more smoothly for awhile, then nosedive into another traumatic and painful episode of depression, anhedonia, and mixed states.

    He began to talk about dying in elementary school, but his first attempt happened in junior high.

    For the rest of his adolescence… his attempts and trips to the ED, multiplied. During his twenties the attempts became more frequent and more traumatic for him and for his mom.

    For some people, knowing someone who regularly attempts suicide is tiresome. They accuse their suicidal friend or family member of seeking attention. And when that person dies by suicide, their response is sometimes, “What a relief for the family.”

    This response lacks understanding of this person’s condition, and lacks compassion both for him and his family and friends.

    Loss of a loved one by suicide is heartbreaking. Devastating. Suffocating.

    While we want to focus today on Crystal, you can’t fully grasp her loss without understanding her son.

    Jake’s life was full of pain, desperation, and despair. He didn’t understand his pain, or why it lasted like it did. 

    By his late twenties, his suicide attempts were frequent and severe. He had resolved the only way he’d succeed in ending his life was to use sharp edges, so his family hid all the knives from him. Then he found arrowheads that were sharp and continued to mutilate his wrists. Still, someone always found him in time.

    When he finally ended his life at the age of 28, his mother was devastated. It seemed to her he’d had a heart attack… which was shocking at his young age. 

    That was heartbreaking enough. 

    But little by little, as time went by after his death, she kept reliving his last weeks, and remembered something his friend had told her. That Jake was using some manmade concoction that had been reported to give a high in small amounts but when overused, it caused death.

    Finally, Crystal had to face that he had been methodically trying to end his life; not out of rebellion, or rage, or revenge, but out of desperation to escape the misery he felt. 

    It wasn’t that he didn’t want to live, but he was certain he didn’t want to live like THAT any more. Without hope of peace, of building a life, of enjoying lasting relationships. He felt he was a prisoner in his own skin. A prison caused by his disordered mind.

    After all the struggles, all the pain, all the times he got in trouble, all his heartbreak, all his desperation…do you think Crystal was relieved when he died?

    No…nothing could be further from the truth.

    Crystal spent his life looking for the right doctor, the best treatment, some sort of hope that would help him live a quality of life that rewarded him for surviving all he’d endured. When she realized he had died, all she could think of was that they never found his peace. None of their efforts paid off. The latest treatment wasn’t given to him in time. 

    She felt sorrowful that their lifelong quest was never realized. She felt guilt that she hadn’t tried hard enough, although she had given it all she had.

    That she had to give up her quest to find help for him. It was hard to grasp that the search was over. That they never conquered the torment.

    Each person’s grief is his own, and each grieves for different reasons. Grief is so personal, but its impact is multiplied when the cause is suicide, and especially if the loved one was a child, a spouse, or the parent. 

    During the first month or two, friends of Crystal were sympathetic and offered her love and support. But as the months went by, they encouraged her to “move on.” Their well meaning “encouragement” only applied guilt and pressure Crystal didn’t need. She knew she couldn’t move on. She guessed that someday it might not hurt so much, but she had no interest in forcing herself to stuff her pain and memories to make others around her more comfortable.

    Unfortunately, Crystal began to withdraw from some of her friends, because she knew she needed space to grieve at her own rate. To come to terms with all her efforts to save her son and the fact that they failed.

    It was a LOT to swallow.

    She told herself that he knew she loved him, he knew she fought for him and his hope.  Crystal found hope and peace in knowing he KNEW he was loved deeply by her, in spite of his treatment by others. The more she let that knowledge sink deep into her heart and memories, it allowed her anguish to decrease.

    And Crystal learned that healing from the loss of a loved one by suicide, that her son’s life ended at his own hand, in a way that was indirect, required time. She needed time.

    Yes, while it’s true that some people grieve and never move forward to live rewarding lives again, Crystal knew instinctively that wouldn’t be her. She knew she needed to heal so she could enjoy life again at some point. So she guarded her heart, and her memories, and opened that part of herself only to those who had the capacity to understand and not pass judgment.

    On the first anniversary of his death, Crystal joined with her adult children and they reminisced about Jake and the things they loved about him. They shared an upbeat time together honoring Jake’s memory, and Crystal found she breathed easier in the days that followed.

    Eighteen months after Jake’s death, Crystal missed him terribly, but was beginning to feel a little gleam of life in her heart again from time to time.  The more she healed, the easier it was to talk with trusted family members about Jake, his illness, his beauty, and his mistakes. The more openly she talked about him with trusted loved ones, the freer she felt.

    She realized that healing was coming. She knew the loss of her son by suicide was not something she would ever get over or put behind her. Crystal knew she was forever altered by his death as anyone would be after the loss of a loved one by suicide. But she also knew she needed to heal from the shock and trauma and guilt she suffered, so she could live again.

    At Innovative Psychiatry, we conducted a study about the use of IV ketamine for suicidal thinking. We have found IV ketamine to be remarkably effective in stopping suicidal thoughts in as little as an afternoon. This allows you to work toward getting help while avoiding hospitalization or a trip to the E.D.

    With the tragic loss of life and suffocating grief of loved ones that suicide causes, to be able to stop suicidal thinking… is priceless. You can seek further treatment, counseling, and improve your quality of life with the valuable time ketamine can buy for you.

    When you come for ketamine treatment, you'll have a comfortable, quiet room to get the most from your treatment.

    When you come for treatment, you’ll be led to a private treatment room with a comfy recliner to receive your infusion. A pretty white box on the table will alert you to the safety of your environment. This box applies plasma cell technology to destroy all the viruses (including COVID variants Beta, Delta, lambda, and omicron), plus bacteria and mold, too. In fact, when we say all, we mean 99.99%.

    You can be assured you’re as safe as possible from infection while in our offices, so you can focus on getting the most from your treatment.

    If you suffer from suicidal thoughts, or know someone who does, reach out for the treatment that can stop them. IV ketamine treatment is lifesaving, and you deserve to be relieved of those awful thoughts and urges.

    There is an answer that can give you hope and peace.

    Lori Calabrese, M.D. is on the front end of the race to stop PTSD in its tracks using IV ketamine treatment.

    To the restoration of your best self,

  • Will Cannabis Harm Your Teenage Brain?

    Will Cannabis Harm Your Teenage Brain?

    Luke and Sam walk home from school. Luke says, “Hey man, I’ve got some weed, wanna share a joint?”

    Sam looks up, pleased at the prospect. “I have a better idea. Let’s call Dom. She’s throwing a party with brownies and cookies, too. Brownies are such a fun way to get high…” As you watch Luke and Sam, do you wonder…will cannabis harm a teenage brain..?

    Lukes smiles. “M’kay…I’m game. I’ll text her.”

    Luke says, “You know my dad gave me another talk. He insists weed is hurting my brain and my future. But how could it?  It just makes me feel mellow, man. And it grows from the ground. It’s a plant. It’s not some poisonous chemical. I don’t get why they’re so uptight about it.”

    Sam shakes his head and says, “It’s not logical, man. They’re trying explain but they don’t understand. They’re afraid of something that’s been made legal? The government wouldn’t have made it legal if it wasn’t safe…”

    Will cannabis harm your teenage brain?

    Talk about an age old controversy. This is one of the oldest and most intense.

    Cannabis is marijuana, and can be smoked, mixed into edibles like brownies and cookies. It’s natural…grows out of the ground…so obviously it’s healthy and good for you, right? Maybe? Or maybe not…

    Cannabis can harm your teenage brain…

    It often starts during adolescence — 78% of people using cannabis for the first time are between the ages of 12 and 20. But cannabis is used at every age. It may not be too bad for adults in midlife, but that’s a discussion for another time. What about teens?

    Today, let’s talk about whether it’s beneficial in adolescence.

    A landmark study just published in the JAMA Psychiatry (credible, right?) took a look at the long term effects of cannabis use by teenagers.

    The researchers behind this incredibly important long-term study point out that even though there has been more and more legalization of cannabis, there have been few longitudinal imaging studies to show the impact of its use during this formative time of life. When they speak of longitudinal studies they’re talking about following the subjects over a period of time.

    To understand more, Matthew D. Albaugh, Ph.D., and his research team began imaging studies gathering MRI information for 799 European participants ages 14 and up, then again at the end of the study five years later.

    The researchers found some surprising results at the five year mark. For instance, in teens who reported moderate to heavy cannabis use, there was a reduced thickness in the prefrontal cortex, both left and right.

    This means there was altered development of the neurons in the left and right prefrontal cortex regions.

    Now, maybe you’ve heard people say that a young person should avoid major decisions before the age of 25…. Why? Because before that the prefrontal cortex isn’t fully developed. Or maybe to avoid marrying before that age for the same reason. Or maybe they used it to explain poor judgment, and impulsivity.

    The prefrontal cortex is important. It empowers us to plan, make decisions, memorize and remember, and learn. Plus manage time and organize. 

    Think about it. What if you couldn’t do any of those things? Or do them well. How would it affect your life? Will cannabis harm your teenage brain..? Let’s not put our heads in the sand about it.

    You might not be able to organize school work, or organize your job responsibilities when you’re older. You might always be kind of confused and behind, because of your inability to organize and manage time. Imagine that.

    You might not learn to drive — well.

    You might not feel like studying or learning… you might not be able to do all the things you could have when your parents and teachers said you ”had so much potential.”

    You Coulda Been a Contender.

    In fact, you might not do a good job planning your senior graduation party. Or where to go to college. 

    Basically, you might just forget college, or a job using your mind. You might have to be told what to do and when to do it. Over and over. Picture that.

    The researchers also learned that the amount of cannabis adolescents used was directly related to the amount of thinning. Those who used it heavily had the most severe thinning in the prefrontal cortex regions.

    And it gets more alarming.

    Since the prefrontal cortex in a teen is less developed, this underdeveloped portion of the brain caused greater amounts of impulsiveness.

    The right cerebral cortex, as well as the left, are both densely populated with cannabinoid 1 receptors. They undergo their greatest age- related change in mid-to-late adolescence. Research with lab animals has shown that teens are most vulnerable during this time to the impact of tetrahydrocannabinol (which is THC, the psychoactive chemical in cannabis) on their brain structures and function.

    So these effects on the brain related to cannabis use, according to this study, link teen cannabis use with a variety of negative outcomes, including psychiatric symptoms in adults.

    Ok, now the logic. You’re a teenager from age 12 to age 20. Eight years of your 75 year life span are taken up by adolescence, but the decisions you make during those 8 years can alter the course of the next 55 years, more or less. Cannabis: will it harm the teenage brain?

    Be Logical

    Just think, if you got through adolescence without using cannabis, the risks of psychiatric disorders that are often increased by cannabis use are removed from your future. Those risks are gone. Plus, the impulse control that’s lost as a result…that can lead to arrest and imprisonment, or impulsive decisions like ending your life? Those risks are gone too, if you never use it.

    If you stop and think about it, you need all the impulse control you can get, you know?

    Studies have been lining up for years, showing that cannabis changes important parts of the brain, especially in the prefrontal cortex. And to be at our best, to have access to the best we can do, we need to stay away from those things that damage brain systems.

    To develop yourself for the future, whether through college or art or creative endeavors or learning a trade, it’s all education…and you need it to enjoy a rewarding life. You need all your faculties. You need to protect your brain.

    So while we can’t fix what cannabis damaged in the past, we can offer a healing experience with IV ketamine treatment that can restore the damage depression, anxiety, and stress cause. It can also help with alcohol and substance misuse.

    At Innovative Psychiatry, we work with people everyday who’ve used cannabis, and report impairments they’ve become aware of. In addition, many are depressed and/or anxious. While we can’t erase the years of cannabis use, we can treat the depression and anxiety that never seems to let up. Especially if they’ve already tried other medicines and treatments.

    We specialize in treatment resistant depression and anxiety, as well as substance and alcohol use disorders, bipolar depression, and PTSD…and have seen IV ketamine treatment do wonderful things for them. IV ketamine puts 100% of ketamine right where it’s needed, on the brain tissue that’s showing impairment from the pruning caused by stress.

    The result is restorative, transformative, and fast. Rather than you having to wait for weeks or months to experience improvement like you do with oral antidepressants, ketamine flows into your brain systems and switches on the light.

    That’s not to say that we think ketamine heals the damage cannabis can cause — but we are saying that it can be wonderful at restoring your outlook from dismal, dark, and dreary to happy, hopeful, and expecting good things.

    If you feel you’ve lost your initiative, motivation, and hope, if you’ve tried antidepressants that haven’t helped, IV ketamine treatment may be just what you need to get on track again.

    Ketamine isn’t for everyone, but it is for most.  The percentage of those who are helped is so high that chances are you’ll be set on higher ground by this treatment.

    Receive your ketamine treatment in a comfy recliner to erase memory triggers of alcohol use.

    When you come in for treatment, forget about waiting rooms—we’ll meet you at the door and take you straight to your treatment room. (And what a room it is! Skylights, windows, treetops, dimmable lighting—we’ve got it all.) You’ll find yourself in a beautiful environment, and a zero-gravity heated recliner…and you’ll have privacy to make the most of your treatment. You can be at ease because we took a preemptive step and installed plasma cell technology to destroy all airborne viruses, including COVID and its variants, plus bacteria and molds. And they’re destroyed, not caught on a nasty little filter. 99.999%.

    So, while we can’t fix what cannabis damaged in the past, we can offer the kind of healing and repair with IV ketamine treatment that can restore the damage depression, anxiety, and stress cause. It can also help with alcohol use disorder and substance use disorder.

    September has been National Suicide Awareness Month, and we’ve tried to confront suicidal thoughts each week. They can come from a variety of disordered thinking, or even from sheer desperation. But these thoughts are dangerous. And it’s important to get them to subside….which is ketamine’s specialty.

    So whatever has led to suicidal thoughts, IV ketamine can erase those thoughts in a few hours, or an afternoon. It can save your life. So you’ll have more life to live and recover in.

    The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline:  1-800-273-TALK (8255)

    You’ve been through a lot. You’ve suffered. And you want to feel better and function better.

    Believe that your life can be better. 

    Or at least, give yourself the opportunity to see what improvement can feel like. What remission feels like.

    Lori Calabrese, M.D. is on the front end of the race to stop PTSD in its tracks using IV ketamine treatment.

    To the restoration of your best self,

  • Can Cannabis Make You Suicidal? It Depends…

    Can Cannabis Make You Suicidal? It Depends…

    There are so many sides to this controversy. Marijuana’s good for what ails you – right? For cancer pain, anxiety, depression…for putting your body back in order… Or is it??

    There has long been a belief that cannabis, another name for marijuana, was associated with suicidality.  Not a popular belief, but one supported by neuroscience. What do I mean by suicidality?  I mean thinking about suicide, planning it, setting it up…and following through. Trying to kill yourself. Or actually killing yourself. Can cannabis make you suicidal? Is cannabis responsible?

    So is it? 

    Is cannabis use directly linked to the process of planning and completing suicide?

    Meet Isaac:

    Isaac walked along the boardwalk, feeling alone. Isolated. Bored. And the more bored he felt the more depressed he felt. He had few friends, and the ones he had he was never able to see. He didn’t have a car to go visit them, and most of them were also without transportation.

    His insides seemed hollow. He felt empty. His mom had died from cancer last summer, and there was nothing left but for him to kill time until his dad got home. But that wasn’t much better. Dad was also hollow and empty, looking for ways to fill the void his mom’s death had left.

    Soon after his mom’s funeral, some friends offered him pot for the pain and heartache. It helped. For a little while. So he got more to keep the heartache from defeating him completely. And it felt good.

    If only the effects lasted longer. He NEEDED it to last longer.

    Within a few months, Isaac was smoking with at least one friend at a time just about every day. He had graduated from high school, but his mom’s illness — then her death, the funeral, and all the grief… he just didn’t have the gumption to drag himself off to a few places to submit applications. Whether for college or even just a part-time job. So he’d sleep late, then get up and meet his friends and share some weed. By the time they were finished, his dad was home from work and in bed…so he’d find some food, then go to bed too. End of another identical day.

    How do you inject meaning into a day..? Can cannabis do it? No..? What can..?

    And if there’s no meaning to be found, can cannabis make you suicidal? Keep reading…

    Time passed. It was meaningless. But he was coping… sort of.

    Still, the days ran together like the colors in an amateur watercolor painting…until the blues, greens, pinks, reds, and oranges of life all puddled together to make a blackness. And the same ol’ same ol’ was no longer tolerable but rather unbearable. 

    Isaac missed his mom. She’d been his best friend. She encouraged him to be more and do more. To have hope for his future. Without her here, life was a vacuum. A void. And smoking weed no longer comforted him…. Instead it seemed to drag him further and further down. He didn’t know when it happened, but at some point he had begun to realize he didn’t want to live anymore. Not feeling like this anyway. 

    And where was a solution? His mom was gone. She’d always been the solution until she got sick. His poor little brother never knew her like that. He wished he could fill in the gaps for his brother, but he couldn’t even keep his own head above water.

    Can cannabis make you suicidal? Can it??

    The bridge over the river that ran through downtown always captured his attention. He could just jump. If he wanted to. He pictured the drop from the bridge … it would be like flying….he pictured the water swooshing and swirling around him as he plunged into it…covering his head…sinking as the sun seemed to pull away…he knew the water would be cold…

    Isaac shook his head to break away from the whole idea.

    Drowning would be a nasty experience… or would it? What if he just inhaled the water…?

    Later that day, he saw his friend Josh on a street corner, ready to cross. 

    “Hey Josh…” They crossed the street together…two young men, bored, empty, hopeless. Depressed.

    “What’s up, Isaac?”

    “A whole lotta nothin’…”

    “I have some medical weed…”

    “Where’d you get it..?”

    “I got a medical card for it. It helps with the pain in my leg from the cancer…”

    “Is it better than pain pills? Why use weed?”

    Josh took a breath, surprised Isaac would ask about something so obvious. “It’s natural, man. It’s organic. Not some chemical that’s created in a laboratory. It’s good for you.”

    “Well, I’m down for it. And I don’t even have any leg pain!” So they headed over to Josh’s car where they could just sit and smoke.

    Where do you go when the meaning runs out?

    What do you do if cannabis makes you suicidal?

    Three days later Josh heard sirens. Didn’t think much of it until he heard on the news that Isaac’s body had been found near the downtown bridge… Josh was sick. Devastated. 

    He had had no idea Isaac was on the verge of suicide. The loss. The waste. Maybe he could have done something for Isaac if he’d known. He knew Isaac’s family and knew they must be heartbroken. It was too tragic, and he’d had no idea. The medical marijuana should have helped soothe him. Baffling. Sickening…

    Let’s take a look at this. As cannabis becomes more widely used — because of legalization for medical and recreational use in more and more states — let’s look at just how good it is for our loved ones …and even ourselves for that matter.

    We’re talking about the use of cannabis, and Cannabis Use Disorder, known as CUD.

    A group of medical researchers from the National Institute on Drug Abuse at the National Institutes of Health set out to learn more about the impact of cannabis use on young adults.

    They chose 281,650 subjects between the ages of 18 and 34 years of age, who had participated in face-to-face National Surveys on Drug Use and Health between 2008 through 2019. These 281,650 people used cannabis daily or almost daily, at least 300 days per year, OR they had a diagnosis of cannabis use disorder plus a major depressive episode.

    The primary focus was to figure out the prevalence of suicidal thinking, planning, and attempts within the last year and whether it was related to cannabis use. More than 281 thousand people. Out of all those people, what did they learn?

    They learned that cannabis use and cannabis use disorder (CUD) were more strongly associated with suicidal thoughts, planning, and attempted suicide and that the risk of suicidality was higher in women than in men. And that was with or without depression.

    Did you know that among people between ages 15 and 54, 60% of first suicide attempts occurred within a year of the first thoughts about it? And get this alarming fact: Suicide attempt is the single most serious clinical predictor of death by suicide.

    Did you know that? When someone makes an attempt, it’s a mistake to claim they’re seeking attention. Never make that deadly mistake. Always take suicide attempts seriously, and offer help and treatment.

    Can cannabis make you suicidal? Yes, if you use it often enough.

    They also found that women with both CUD and depression were more likely to plan and attempt suicide than men with the same circumstances.

    But more importantly, even though women were more likely to think about, plan, and attempt or complete suicide than men if they did use cannabis frequently and had a depressive disorder… they were only equally as likely as men to think about and attempt suicide… if no cannabis was used.

    That’s the shock of it.

    That the more you smoke weed, the more likely you are to think about, plan, and attempt suicide.

    (Data. Fact. Not just me sayin’…..)

    You wonder…was it the increasing amounts of cannabis causing the suicidality, or was it the conditions and circumstances that led to the smoking…?

    We know that a large group of people seeks comfort in cannabis — now more than ever — since cannabis has been legalized in so many states. And the pandemic has increased anxiety in people everywhere.

    But what’s the fallout of that …?

    If you are between 18 and 34 and you use cannabis, you have a greater chance of developing thoughts of suicide, or worse, death by suicide. Regardless of whether or not you have depression. And the chances of becoming suicidal are higher if you’re a woman than if you’re a man. The association is strong and the likelihood seems to be steadily increasing, according to this 11-year study.

    Those are the facts. Those are the risks. And although we need more studies and more information to determine exactly what is causing what, right now today this is information that you should share with everyone you know and love who uses cannabis.

    Your IV ketamine treatment will be in a lovely, comfortable, private room.

    At Innovative Psychiatry, we hear our patients’ stories of anxiety every day. Depression. Hopelessness. It seems like it’s everywhere. Let us help you with it.

    People have been smoking cannabis, eating it in brownies, including it in their favorite cake recipes for decades, maybe even centuries. But no matter how you introduce it into your body, if you do it often and a lot, suicide is a risk you may not be able to control or talk yourself out of. It’s a serious and severe risk, from what many consider a seemingly harmless plant.

    Can cannabis make you suicidal? Well, cannabis really may be a wolf in sheep’s clothing, if you use it enough to cross the proverbial line into suicidal thinking.

    To more effectively treat depression that medications have not helped, anxiety and trauma, and substance use disorders, IV ketamine treatment may be the best option available. It’s not for everyone, and for reasons that remain elusive, it just doesn’t impact some people in the same remarkable way it does most.

    But those exceptions are in the dwindling minority. More likely than not, it will be the best introduction to peace you’ve ever imagined. From PTSD to social anxiety, and from major depressive disorder to bipolar depression to postpartum depression and even anorexia.

    When you come for treatment, you’ll find a relaxed and beautiful environment, optimized by technology that removes viruses and bacteria from the air and the surfaces. Developed by NASA and the Department of Defense, this plasma cell technology was developed for the space station, and is truly other worldly in its effect. When you come for treatment, you’ll be comfortable and safe. Secure and in privacy. So you can focus on making the most of this IV ketamine treatment.

    If you have suffered PTSD, depression, social anxiety or other conditions we’ve talked about here, call us.

    We’re eager to meet you and work with you to help you rise above the symptoms that have held you back. It’s time to move ahead in your life.

    Lori Calabrese, M.D. is on the front end of the race to stop PTSD in its tracks using IV ketamine treatment.

    To the restoration of your best self,

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