Eight-Milligram Single Dose of Buprenorphine as an Expeditious Treatment for Severe Suicidal Ideation: A Case Report

Introduction Buprenorphine is used to treat opioid use disorder and pain syndromes. This drug may be a suitable treatment choice for refractory depression, anxiety, self-injurious behaviors, and suicidal ideation. However, it has a significant abuse potential, which limits its use in suicidal patients with a history of substance abuse. Case Report In this report, we present a case of chronic suicidal ideation due to substance-induced depressive disorder in a 25-year-old man from Noorabad, Fars, Iran. The patient was successfully treated with an 8-mg single dose of sublingual buprenorphine with minimal probability of diversion or misuse. We observed that 8 mg of buprenorphine exerted a rapid effect on the reduction and cessation of suicidal thoughts and depression. Conclusions We demonstrated the antisuicidal effectiveness of a single dose of buprenorphine, which can be administered with minimum risk of diversion or misuse for suicidal patients with a history of substance abuse.