Is depression caused by a chemical imbalance?

The idea that depression is related to a chemical imbalance has been around for several decades now, but is there any scientific evidence for it? Find out the truth about the serotonin hypothesis of depression in this video.

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[olleharstedt]

Some suggest that "depression" is an umbrella term, and can be caused by many different things, just like fever. What about depression in bipolar disorder, for example? Or the possible link between depressive symptoms and low-grade chronic inflammation? I think it's too soon to say that depression _never_ has a purely biological cause. Not a doctor, tho. :)

[adelinegaze]

Depression is hell on earth. There is no other hell.
All the spectrum of disability and guilt, like an never ending cirkle and all you want is to disappeare.
I m finding ways for 23 years now...

[ViciousViscount]

SSRI's may not directly treat depression, but they sure can make it way more bearable and manageable. I know it's worked for me. I can finally get out of bed and have a somewhat more optimistic outlook on life.

[mrmotl]

A chemical imbalance is a symptom or effect of a cause. An effect cannot be its own cause, it's very simple. A leaking hose with a hole in it can lead to flooding, but it wasn't the cause of the flood. The flood was caused by somebody who ran over the hose or animals chewing on it, causing the leak and the hole. Therefore the hose was in a destructive environment and that's what caused the flooding.

What causes the chemical imbalance? The chemical imbalance is a physical symptom in the body as opposed to a psychological symptom of depression in the mind of which are both parallel symptoms of a greater cause in the overall environment. Such as no community, no support, stress and being overworked, trauma, government harassment and being in debt to this sick society.

Society is sick and the environment is toxic, I could explain more but people wouldn't be open to the deep reflection and harsh truth that they would have to confront. Those banking off these problems caused by their system are in no way looking to change anything that might interfere with their profit margins. Therefore they sell you drugs to tell you to ignore the communicative signals your body is sending you and continue to work and run on the wheel that makes them money.

[JahBreed]

Mine was caused by spending years being led to my destruction by people I was supposed to be able to trust But yeah, Chemical Imbalance. My brain stopped using Seratonin properly and I almost killed myself with hormone replacement to skip possibly becoming dependant on the safe medications. It worked pretty well but sanity is fleeting while still in this giant mess that now, noone involved has the gonads to talk about on the record. Depression has many causes and comes with the risk of serious brain injury if it's ignored or not treated properly.

[nathananderson]

This is one of the channels that gave me the courage to start my YouTube channel 11 months ago about self development. Now I have 2, 132 subs and > 2k hours of watch time. I know it’s not comparable with others but I’m still proud I started because I’ve been learning so many lessons that I could haven’t learned without getting started in the 1st place.

[itamar.j.rachailovich]

First of all thanks for video.
Can you please make a video about “sluggish cognitive tempo” (STC)?

[shawnaford]

Zoloft caused disability as it enhanced the anhedonia symptom of my depression. While it works for 30% of people, my disability was compounded by HCP’s saying to me “be patient, it take time”- after years of not resolving or getting relief.
Patient Report Outcomes need to be the standard for depression treatment.
Please do a video on PRC’s.

[matthewwozniak]

I'm not really down with the crutch route for treatment, but if something works, stick with it. I had a friend who took Zoloft and he seemed to like it. Unfortunately due to life circumstances he ended up taking his own life. I am uncertain about if he was on the medication or stopped taking it at that point in time. I'm totally against anything that is supposed to be helping you with depression with a warning disclaimer that it may cause thoughts of suicide.

[stayfeetawayfromme]

Yes, just like almost every other disorder & ailment

[robmehlenbacher]

As a soon-to-be-provider, how does one address patient ambivalence regarding psychopharmacology?

[tabby]

New subscriber here! Awesome content, I'm so happy to have found your channel. Clear explanations make it easy for me to learn about these topics. Thank you!

Can you discuss the placebo effect please? I find it so interesting!

[centralpoint]

How effective is ketamine in the long term

[GoDsPoWeR]

People are just dumb. Yea its both chemical and emotional. Why is that hard to understand???

[hahaha]

Great information, I've long held a suspicion that doctors were reading from a script about this.
I have a daughter on antidepressants.
The problem I see with medication is that it forms in the mind of the patient that this is the reason and cure. Giving some relief for sure.
Human beings are powerful creatures.
The mind is chemical, electrical but also mechanical.
The subconscious is downloaded or programmed early in life. What goes in is out of our control. We are not responsible that.
However, just like any library or computer you can over time add programming that is beneficial or harmful.
You cannot run office related files without downloading a program for that purpose.
Many people follow the subconscious program without knowing how or what to add.
For instance, if you're early experiences are doom, your subconscious will tend towards more of it. Many people are focusing on the doom or hopelessness of humanity, therefore strengthening the subconscious script of such. Strengthening neural pathways in the brain.
Google mechanics of the mind.
There are loads of scientific studies today proving "your" reality can be whatever you choose for yourself.
The world doesn't change, but your world can.
The subconscious will challenge your conscious attention to new thoughts because it is designed to keep you safe in what it's beliefs have become so far.

It's not just the mind you need to focus on.
Diet, sugar is causing every part of your body to be compromised. Exercise, lack of it allows the body to self destruct. Sleep, needs to be structured, patterned.

Medication can cause us to put our faith in one thing, it.
There are no silver bullets.
Pay attention to everything.

How do I know?
At 60 I am happy, balanced and have real hope after 2 years of being on this path.

The mind is powerful, you can do anything you believe you can.

[oscardarrell]

..and chemical imbalance caused by depression..oh goshhh

[bunglejoy]

I think if youve had drpresdion like me sll uour life your looking at brain damagr in amagadla, hippocampus, cerrebulm, cerebum.
Thats main culprit damage and as we get older neurons die off and damage continues.
Thats when uou start eith memory isdues executive brsin function issues.
Its now known that life long drpresdion dhows up on a frmi scan, aldo as a co morbidy you nsy have BPD which ive got GAD, autism, dysprexia, psychosis the list goes on and on do best treatment is antipsychotics as well my quietipine kerps me on a level that all i can hope for 30 sucude attempts later and im still gere ive got brillant sheltered houding im in good friends from my past ive luved her in a tiwn since 2018.

[petersteenkamp]

Depression isn't a disease, depression is a symptom. There are many diseases, disorders, and other causes that can cause depression. Some of them are medical, some are psychological and some are spiritual. Examples: a shortage in vitamin B1, shortage in vitamin B12, shortage in vitamin D3, shortage in certain minerals like Magnesium, untreated diabetes, several types of food allergies, some types of cancer, loss of a loved one, living under the influence of a bad person who goes out of his way to ruin your life, youth traumas, or having a shitty life with no hope of improvement. Etc. etc.
The psychiatric narrative (in collaboration with the pharmaceutical industry) that depression is no more than a chemical imbalance in the brain is too stupid for words. It is irresponsible and dangerous because it ignores real diseases that could underly depression.
For example, a woman came to a psychiatrist with depressive complaints. First, she got an SSRI, which didn't work. Then a heavier antidepressive, which also didn't work. Then she was advised to try electroshock, a treatment that is known to cause severe brain damage. Then someone else asked her about vitamin shortages. If, for example, you take off your shoes and stand on the floor, does it feel like you stand firm, or does it feel like you stand on a thick layer of cotton wool? This can point to a vitamin B12 shortage. For her, this was the case. A bottle of vitamin pills cured her depression in 3 days.
Somebody else had a soy allergy: whenever she ate or drank soy, she would get an allergic reaction that lasted for weeks and made her depressed. If you have such a soy allergy, and you drink soy milk every few days, then the depression will be semi-permanent, until you stop eating or drinking what you are allergic to.

[HasanAlKharfan]

What do you think about the studies mentioning how lower/dysfunctional activity of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex could be a major contributor to depression and that electromagnetic stimulation of the area might "help a lot" if not "potentially cure depression"