From our survey

A parent's script for raising esketamine with an adult child

Most doctor scripts are written for the patient. This one is written for the parent, because parents of adults with depression usually face two conversations, not one. The first happens at home, with a son or daughter who may be tired, wary, or unconvinced. The second happens in a clinic, if your child invites you, with a doctor who is there to serve your child and not you.

Here is language for both, built around the answers 443 adults gave in a June 2026 survey that our publisher paid for.

What you are walking into

Expect caution, not a fight. We asked respondents how ketamine therapy for depression or PTSD first strikes them, and "cautious but open" came out on top, chosen by 34 percent. Put the 18 percent who felt hopeful or curious alongside them and, counted together, 51 percent lean toward open. A mere 9 percent were negative. Another 21 percent called themselves skeptical, which is not the same as closed. These come from the final validated data, and they describe a broad sample, not your child.

Expect, too, that your child may not know the name of the approved treatment. Of everyone we surveyed, 73 percent drew a blank on the name Spravato.

Part one: the conversation at home

Choose the moment. Not in the middle of an argument, not right before they leave for work, not in front of siblings. A car ride or a walk, where you are side by side instead of face to face, often goes better.

Open with what you have noticed, not with a treatment.

"I've noticed things still seem really hard, even with the medication. I'm not trying to fix anything. I just want to understand how you're doing."

Then listen. Let the silence sit. If they talk, you have learned more than any article can tell you.

Ask permission before sharing.

"I read about some treatments for depression that hasn't responded to regular antidepressants. Would it be okay if I told you what I found?"

Permission matters for an adult. A yes means they are ready to hear it. A no means you wait.

Explain briefly and honestly.

"One is called esketamine, brand name Spravato. It's a nasal spray, FDA-approved, meant for depression that a couple of antidepressants haven't lifted. It's only given at certified clinics, and they watch you for a couple of hours afterward. It's not the same as the at-home ketamine you see advertised. It doesn't work for everyone, and it's not right for everyone."

Naming the limits in the same breath as the possibility shows that you are not selling anything. If you want to read up before you talk, Brain Recovery Centers has a straightforward page on Spravato covering how sessions run.

Point toward their doctor, not toward you.

"I'm not the person who can tell you if it fits. Would you consider asking your doctor about it at your next appointment?"

This is the most important line. Our survey found 74 percent would try a treatment like this on their own doctor's say-so. Parents and other family of veterans or first responders, 129 people in our sample, gave the doctor even more weight, 75 percent. Friends and family were the answer for 18 percent. You matter, but your best role is often getting them to the person they will actually listen to.

Offer concrete help.

"If you want, I can help find an appointment, or drive you, or come in with you. Whatever would help. Or nothing, if you'd rather handle it."

If they say no, close gently.

"Okay. Thanks for hearing me out. The offer stands anytime."

Part two: at the appointment, if invited

If your adult child wants you there, a few ground rules keep you helpful:

• Let your child speak first and speak most. You are a supporting witness.
• Ask before the visit what they want you to say, and what they do not want mentioned.
• Know that the doctor can only share information with you with your child's permission. If they want you informed between visits, they can sign a release form at the clinic.

If your child asks you to describe what you have seen:

"Over the past few months I've noticed [specific changes: sleeping most of the day, missing work, pulling away from friends]. We're worried because the medicines haven't seemed to help."

Specific observations are more useful to a clinician than general worry.

If your child wants you to ask about esketamine:

"We read about esketamine for depression that hasn't responded to other medications. Is that something [name] should be evaluated for? If not, what would you suggest instead?"

Practical questions a parent is well placed to ask:

• "How often would visits be at first, and how long do they last?" Expect twice weekly early on, with at least two hours of monitoring each time.
• "Can [name] drive afterward?" No; they have to wait until the following day, after sleeping. If you are the driver, plan for it.
• "Is it covered by our insurance?" If your child is younger than 26 and still on your plan, you may be the one who calls member services. In our survey, 85 percent ranked coverage among their top two considerations.
• "What should we watch for at home?"

What not to say

• "You just need to try harder." Treatment-resistant depression is not a willpower problem.
• "This will fix it." No treatment comes with that promise.
• "I've already made the appointment." For an adult, that removes the choice they need to own.
• "Your cousin did ketamine and it was great." Other people's experiences, and especially off-label at-home products, are not evidence for your child.

After the appointment

Ask your child how they felt it went before sharing your own view. Whatever the clinician recommended, whether esketamine, a different medication, therapy, or more time, that is a clinical judgment. Your job is to support the plan your child chooses with their doctor.

Should your son or daughter mention wanting to die, or should you fear for their safety, pick up the phone now and reach 988 by call or text. That Suicide and Crisis Lifeline number coaches parents calling about a grown child as well, at any hour.

Methodology

Fieldwork took place through Pollfish's consumer panel, finishing June 23, 2026, and collecting 443 complete responses from people 18 to 64 in Nebraska, Indiana, Missouri, Kansas, Illinois, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Ohio. These are the validated final numbers from Pollfish, and only groups of 30 or more people are broken out. Our publisher commissioned the research and covered its cost.