One of the reasons that depression and anxiety disorders have received increased attention is due to a highly advertised theory. Drug companies, along with the physicians who prescribe their medications, believe that depression and other mental illnesses are caused by biochemical imbalances within the brain. What exactly are these chemical imbalances, and why are there no tests to measure them?

If we have high blood pressure, the cause can be determined by objective tests. We can easily see that a level is high, low, or normal. Medication, dietary changes, and further testing will indicate if the situation has ameliorated. When medications are prescribed for depression, how does the physician know if the claimed imbalance has been corrected? Observations of and feedback from the patient are the only determining criteria. Some contrarians believe that these drugs may create an imbalance, rather than correct one.

Increased Sales of SSRIs

We have seen television and print advertisements for these medications called Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs). Serotonin is the brain neurotransmitter that many believe causes mood disorders. Six years ago, during the World Series, such ads were presented directly after the tragic events of 9-11. Ironically, present ads must contain a disclaimer. "Depression or anxiety may be caused by a chemical imbalance. This medication may correct this imbalance." These medications have made tremendous profits for drug companies. Many consumers ask for them by name like a favorite food or beverage. In many cases, they have improved quality of life. With others, the results have been mixed. As with all medications, they carry risks that may not be completely understood by patients and doctors.

Expert Opinions

Dr. Peter Breggin, a psychiatrist trained at Harvard College and Case Western Reserve Medical School, was an early researcher in this class of drugs, and is an authority on SSRIs. Dr. Breggin has written many books, has been an expert witness in legal trials, and has appeared in diverse media. In his book, The Anti-Depressant Fact Book, he presented an interesting opinion about the biochemical imbalance theory.

"In reality, science does not have the ability to measure the levels of any biochemical imbalance in the tiny spaces between the nerve cells (the synapses) in the brain of a human being. All the talk about biochemical imbalances is sheer speculation aimed at promoting psychiatric drugs." (Page 21.)

Another expert on the effects of these drugs is a professor and psychiatrist at the Harvard Medical School. His name is Dr. Joseph Glenmullen. In his book, Prozac Backlash, he described an intriguing analogy.

"Suppose one day you were standing on a street corner waiting for the bus home when someone came along and robbed you at gunpoint. Your assailant heaps abuse and death threats upon you as he absconds with your money, jewelry, and other valuables. You are left traumatized and panicked at the thought he will return for you. If you ran to the nearest medical clinic, you might well be diagnosed with a biochemical imbalance. All kinds of stress hormones and chemical signals would be coursing through your brain and body. But these biochemical events would be the result of your psychological distress, not the cause… If a biochemical imbalance is ever found, it should come as no surprise that psychological states have physiological correlates. Instead, in the past decade, hypothetical biochemical imbalances have been presented to the public as established fact." (Pages 197-98.)

My Perspective

I am not a medical professional; however, this is how I would explain the situation. Depression has no known medical cause. Ancient writers believed it was caused an imbalance in one of the four humors, black bile. Modern theories state that it occurs due to chemical imbalances in the brain. These theories, while widely accepted, have never been proven. Drug companies targeted a neurotransmitter called serotonin. Certain drugs increase or decrease naturally occurring serotonin levels. There are no easily available tests to measure serotonin levels, how these levels change when drugs are used to target them, or the imbalance they claim to correct.

Increasingly, individuals should take greater roles in their healthcare needs. In this particular case, they should challenge conventional wisdom. As former U.S. congressman, Willard Duncan Vandiver, said, "I'm from Missouri. You've got to show me."

References

Dr. Peter Breggin, The Anti-Depressant Fact Book.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/073820451X/qid=1125516751/sr=8-3/ref=pd_bbs_3/104-9823343-4874352?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

Dr. Joseph Glenmullen, Prozac Backlash.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0743200624/qid=1125517292/sr=2-2/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_2/104-9823343-4874352?v=glance&s=books

Origins of Sayings

http://www.trivia-library.com/b/origins-of-sayings-im-from-missouri-youve-got-to-show-me.htm