FreeDigitalPhotos.net
If a change in brain chemicals can trigger depression then we have a solid foundation to place blame. If this chemical imbalance which we are not able to control can create a mental illness, then the stigma of depression would surely be beaten?
Does a chemical imbalance cause depression?
For years it has been believed that yes, this was the case, although psychiatry researchers have begun to question this theory, which is another blog post altogether.
You have most likely come across the saying that a “chemical imbalance in your brain” has caused your depression and there are many drugs on the marked that treat this imbalance of chemicals.
A healthy person will have a certain level of brain chemicals that are scaled as being the “normal” amount, when something happens to upset these chemicals, a chemical imbalance occurs. An imbalance in brain chemicals can trigger mood disorders, amongst many other changes.
Depression Is A Symptom Of A Chemical Imbalance
Depression occurs when the brain chemicals have been changed; therefore depression is a symptom of a chemical imbalance.
It is believed that a chemical imbalance in the brain, (neurotransmitter imbalance) causes mental illness and psychiatric illness.
We know that depression can be triggered by social factors, when we lose a loved one, we lose a job; have financial difficulties and relationship breakdowns are amongst the few that are most common. Depression is also thought to be triggered by this so called chemical imbalance. Do brain chemicals play as much a part in depression as other social factors?
Do You Believe A Chemical Imbalance Causes Depression?
About The Real Supermum
You know, I’ve never been a huge fan of the whole “chemical imbalance” idea. I can’t really form an educated opinion on this because I haven’t read the research, but from what I know what the research shows is that a chemical imbalance may be associated with depression, but it is unknown whether it is a cause or a consequence.
I think the chemical imbalance theory is helpful and also unhelpful at times. It really depends how it is used. It’s a helpful idea because it makes depression seem less frightening and more acceptable. But it becomes unhelpful when it is used a means to say that depression MUST be treated with drugs and other effective treatments fall to the way side. Studies have shown time and time again that drugs can help people get well enough to make the changes necessary to keep depression at bay, but drugs cannot and they will never be able to correct unhealthy habits, behaviours and reactions. Drugs cannot change stress. Drugs cannot prevent bad things from happening and they cannot teach you how to deal with the ups and downs of life.
The chemical imbalance as a cause theory can mask important things like: what actually causes the chemical imbalance in the first place? It can hide the fact that an unbalanced life, an unhealthy life can lead the way into depression. From my own personal experience with Bipolar disorder I know that unbalance in my life equals unbalance in my head.
So, I think it’s useful in some ways as long as it isn’t used as a means to mask these other very important ideas and pathways out of depression.
Im not sure if i believe that or not, but that is what i was always told, think my depression was more down to the relationship i was in etc x x
im not sure but i think depression has alot to do with the circumstance you find yourself in aswell x