Uploaded June 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 day ago
Dr. Johnathan Edwards is a practicing anesthesiologist and visiting physician at IHMC. With 20 years of experience, he has used ketamine extensively to treat mental health issues. Multiple studies have demonstrated the efficacy of ketamine to treat suicidal ideation, depression, and PTSD. Although controversial , psychedelics such as ketamine have been shown to save lives.
Ketamine was developed in 1960s in the search for an anesthetic that did not cause post-operative delirium. In the 1990s, researchers found that in low doses it had a huge effect on eating-disorder patients. Later it was tried in treatment-resistant depression patients, then in the prevention of suicidal ideation.
Dr. Johnathan Edwards co-authored "The Revolutionary Ketamine" with author Gavin de Becker to spread the message that ketamine can save lives. He has been a guest on Episode 165 of STEM-Talk, IHMC’s podcast, discussing the role that ketamine, MDMA and psychedelics can have in mental health treatment.
He grew up in the Mojave desert in California, aspired to be a professional motocross racer, and then decided to attend medical school.
He earned an associate's degree at Victor Valley Community College, a bachelor's degree in physiology at the University of California Davis, and M.D. at the Eastern Virginia Medical School, internal medicine at the University of Nevada, physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Utah, neurology at the University of Claude Bernard in Lyon, France, and completed his anesthesiology residency at the University of South Florida. After years of private practice, he returned to research and is a Ph.D. student in neurophysiology at the University of Paris.
He has published several books, including "Stopping Pain," about a procedure to treat chronic pain, "Suicide, COVID-19, and Ketamine," "The Art and Science of the Marathon" with Dr. Veronique Billat. He is an accomplished cyclist aspiring to a professional level. He has been team doctor for professional cycling teams, tennis players, UFC, and motocross athletes.
This lecture is part of the IHMC Evening Lecture series.
ihmc.us/life/evening_lectures
Dr. Johnathan Edwards is a practicing anesthesiologist and visiting physician at IHMC. With 20 years of experience, he has used ketamine extensively to treat mental health issues. Multiple studies have demonstrated the efficacy of ketamine to treat suicidal ideation, depression, and PTSD. Although controversial , psychedelics such as ketamine have been shown to save lives.
Ketamine was developed in 1960s in the search for an anesthetic that did not cause post-operative delirium. In the 1990s, researchers found that in low doses it had a huge effect on eating-disorder patients. Later it was tried in treatment-resistant depression patients, then in the prevention of suicidal ideation.
Dr. Johnathan Edwards co-authored "The Revolutionary Ketamine" with author Gavin de Becker to spread the message that ketamine can save lives. He has been a guest on Episode 165 of STEM-Talk, IHMC’s podcast, discussing the role that ketamine, MDMA and psychedelics can have in mental health treatment.
He grew up in the Mojave desert in California, aspired to be a professional motocross racer, and then decided to attend medical school.
He earned an associate's degree at Victor Valley Community College, a bachelor's degree in physiology at the University of California Davis, and M.D. at the Eastern Virginia Medical School, internal medicine at the University of Nevada, physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Utah, neurology at the University of Claude Bernard in Lyon, France, and completed his anesthesiology residency at the University of South Florida. After years of private practice, he returned to research and is a Ph.D. student in neurophysiology at the University of Paris.
He has published several books, including "Stopping Pain," about a procedure to treat chronic pain, "Suicide, COVID-19, and Ketamine," "The Art and Science of the Marathon" with Dr. Veronique Billat. He is an accomplished cyclist aspiring to a professional level. He has been team doctor for professional cycling teams, tennis players, UFC, and motocross athletes.
This lecture is part of the IHMC Evening Lecture series.
ihmc.us/life/evening_lectures
