According to a recent study from Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) and King's College London, naturally occurring trace lithium in public drinking water may have an anti-suicidal effect, with the potential to improve community mental health. These findings may have an important implication in this unprecedented time due to the COVID-19 pandemic, when the incidence of mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, and suicide, is alarmingly high. The use of lithium (sometimes referred to as the 'Magic Ion') in psychiatry goes back to the mid-19th century.
Lithium in therapeutic doses is widely used for the treatment of depressive and manic episodes. Furthermore, the anti-aggressive properties of lithium make it a suitable agent to help reduce impulsivity, aggression, and chronic substance abuse. The study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry conducted a…
