Is depression truly caused by a chemical imbalance?

I don't know why I'm asking this, since I know that it is caused by a chemical imbalance. It's just I'm finding it difficult to believe it myself. I keep thinking that my depression is just a personal weakness of mine, or a personality flaw.

I don't know what I'm asking of this post...I just wanted somebody to read it, I guess.

Hey, been there and asked the same questions. It is a chemical thing caused by many different events, physical or psycological. It is also an emtional disease thus therapy helps too. It is not a character flaw. My good friend who is a pretty sarcastic dry humored nurse told me we'd have to be crazy to live in this world and not get depressed. Hope this helps.

I have had many people in my life say that its not a chemical imbalance, but its because they don't understand nor make the effort.

I like what ww said, so true. In any profession that I have encountered over the years, yes they say its an imbalance.

Don't be hard on yourself, these illnesses need to be dealt with no different if you were to have cancer etc. Think about how much we don't know about how the mind works. I mean medical science, in my eyes, has come a long way yet there is so much more that needs to be discovered.

Its got nothing to do with u or your personality. When I think about it, everyone in this world has had some kind of depressed experience. Some worse than others. Depends on the situations that are thrown at us.

Justy

I'm not sure I totally agree with the chemical imbalance concept even though I know it must be true. This is because I had every known anti-depressant given to me over a period of 7 years, with absolutely no effect except bad side effects. I finally seemed to get in control of my thoughts without meds because I knew I couldn't continue living like I had & wasn't successful with suicide..

Unfortunately, the depression feelings started coming back when waking up in the morning. I felt like I couldn't go on even with the anticipation of my new foal being so exciting. It took me awhile to realized what was going on with me again. My husbands attitude is driving me crazy & I just can't put up with it anymore. I stopped to think about the situation, & realized that I have to fight back & came up with a plan of how I was going to handle the situation to my best interest. After confronting him, & setting down what is going to happen, it was like a weight lifted off me. The depression feelings I was waking up with seemed to diminish, & I felt like I was in better control of myself again. The depression went on for over a month before I could formulate my ideas into a plan, but I was really amazed at the result. I don't really understand how thinking can change the chemical balance that quick. I must admit there is my eating problem that is still here & won't go away, so all is not completely solved. For me, therapy, & just trying to get in control of my life again did more good than any meds that messed with the chemicals in my brain.

I may be the exception rather than the rule, & I don't really understand how it all works together. I know that depression is not a personal weakness or personality flaw either. After living with the depression for over 9 years, I don't understand it any better after experiencing it than I did before I even knew what depression was.

Silver Queen --

Given that research exists demonstrating that medications help relieve depression. It can take a while to get the right mix and dose. And some people may never find much relief.

Another approach with demonstrable research results in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This shows us strategies to use to challenge our "stinkin' thinkin'."

It's fairly useless to take a pill and think that life is going to be wonderful, especially for people who are confronting problems and stress -- divorce, illness, unemployment, losing a boyfriend, quarrels with family. Just about everything that makes up life in the modern world adds straws to the proverbial camels' back of stress. The medication can "jump start" us, but we have to work to learn ways of coping, too.

I hope this helps.

How are things going for you, Silver Queen? Are you still staying up all night and isolating from people?

Very good points. I like the way you explained this. And I do agree.

I had been on so many meds, I was a zombie. They couldn't figure out by that time which were affecting me negatively.
But everyone body's react differently. Meds won't always work for people, that's the frustrating part. I don't feel that just the meds will totally help. There is no magic pill. The therapy is extremely important. For many people I have meant over the time spent in groups, friends I made etc; the balance of meds and the therapy were the key for them. But like I say, this is not true for everyone.

I also know, with eating issues, (if you want to call it a disorder), with not eating, purging, over eating, it will decrease functions of your body making it harder to cope with stress. It comes down to the "balance". This is just what I have been taught and do believe this, but everyone has a right to feel the way they do. Some may totally disagree with this and that's alright.

I don't think, or I have been told, that meds take a long time to start working. In the past I have found this to be true. Once they took me off all of the meds and placed me on a couple, I eventually felt better. But my thought was, maybe it was my mind set. Feeling better, eating right, having a focus; this could have helped more then meds. Not sure though. I personally won't go on meds anymore. Its the side effects that I have an issue with. But I don't desciminate against meds for people. I think they can really help.

And I too, don't fully understand depression. Nor this eating disorder. If we did, then wouldn't we be well??

Justy

So you're saying -- if we understood the depression, or eating disorder, or whatever we come here for -- we would be well?

Hmmm, I'm not. Certainly, that's the "knowledge is power" theory of life. But I see it this way (and you certainly don't have to -- grin) -- Just because I know what's wrong with my car (needs new brakes) doesn't fix it. In fact, it doesn't even mean that I personally have the knowledge or skill to fix it (e.g. need a mechanic named "meds" and therapy -- be it cognitive or Jungian or whatever).

Just my POV. I agree with the meds things. I tried a bunch over a period of 2 years, gave up, then got so wasted by depression, I had to try again.
Thank goodness, for right now, the effexor is working. But I wound up with Prozac poopout after a fairly brief honeymoon, so I don't know what the future holds. But then, none of us, do we?

Thanks for the interesting insights.

I spent about 40 years resisting antidepressants, which I would periodically try when in a deep slump and drop when I felt better. It took me many years to figure out that the pits were becoming deeper and longer and that I did have an underlying chemical imbalance, as the doc said. I'm a tough customer, because I like to be self-sufficient rather than depending on any medication.

The last three or four years have been the best of my life. I finally gave in and went through many months of trying different antidepressants (ADs). I will only take one AD at a time, so that it will be very clear what its side-effects are and how well it's doing the job. Also, I'm quite aggressive about telling the doc when the dose has to be upped in order to work. After a month, if it isn't doing the job, I ask him to up it to the maximum recommended dose.

I've been quite comfortable on the AD of my choice for some time now. What's good for me, however, may not be good for others.

Tailoring the AD to the person is very important. Effexor is great for some. The smallest dose of it, however, turned me into a zombie without any human feelings . This must be what a sociopath feels like, I thought. I could have killed with a complete lack of conscience. That experience shocked me so much that I immediately returned the pills to the doctor's office. Now I have a better understanding of some of the Prozac stories I've heard.

This is the address of the web site I use to research meds. I keep it right on my desktop --- http://www.rxlist.com/ . The list also has, in the upper left hand corner, a link to the RX-BOARD
where patients discuss their experiences with various meds! This has been a very good source of information for me. I hope it's helpful to the readers here also.

Adieu

Wellbutrin turned me comatose. I had to attend an important meeting, and was sprawled out all over the conference table like a preschooler at nap time. I almost fell asleep at the wheel on the drive home. And this was with a small dose. Yet, I've heard many people find wellbutrin to increase energy.

Thanks for sharing your experience. I've resisted, too, esp. since it took so long to find something that works. I hope the effexor keeps on doing its job, since I've only been on the increased dose 6 wks.

Hi folks,

I am inclined to agree with Wants2Fly and the 'jumpstart' theory. Although I've avoided meds myself (my father was a prescription drugs addict) I have seen them jumpstart friends out of depression.

I see meds as one strategy among others to get us out of the loop. As for the chemical imbalance theory, who knows?

I do know one thing. I have slipped into long phases of depressive thinking, focussing on all the bad stuff, and then with one great effort I've pulled out. It's like when I stop myself being angry. I think CBT therapy is good for this. Dealing with your own mood is the hardest work there is, I don't deny that, but I do think we can get a bit of control
if we find our own key.

There's another thing. When I have made a bit of progress on my own, even a tiny bit, I just feel so proud.

Cheers, Myzen

I'll add a little bit more to the story then:
The beginning of February, I was put on anti-depressants (Zoloft).
By April, I had stopped taking them.
All this time I have always been wondering whether my depression had truly gone: I was never sure.
So this time, it has come back, and I'm not sure whether it has been triggered by my loneliness or whether it has just come back anyway. Now I am getting more support online, I don't feel so lonely anymore, but my mood is still down.
So I suppose this is the reason why I'm asking if it is a chemical imbalance or not.

I know people have advised that I go to the counsellors. Last year (since I have restarted again this year) I went to the University Counselling Service and told somebody there all about how I was suicidal and she helped me. So this time, if I go there, I'm afraid I will have to have a session with her again. I'm even afraid of just seeing her or her seeing me: she will recognise me. If I started counselling sessions, I would be sure to see her sometime.

So I'm not sure whether I should go to my doctor (whom I have never seen before: he's my university doctor) or whether I should try counselling anyway and hope I don't see my counsellor from last year. I would find it very embarrassing if I met her. But I'm also afraid that if I go to the doctor and he puts me on anti-depressants, my doctor at home will see the records (it's all on computer), and he will know he was right (he advised me to be on Zoloft for at least a year). I don't know if the same patient's details are shared between doctors if he/she has more than one.

So for me, it's a difficult decision.

(Sorry this is so long.)

lol, so nobody knows what to say, now?

sorry silver...

why would you be embarrassed to see your same counselor? why are you worried that your home doc might be right?

oh we're in chat together.. I ll catch you there

I'm not going to chat -- but I am concerned about the huge amount of secrecy and embarrassment that seems to surround depression for you.

Of course, our society stigmatizes the illness. I, too, take what steps I believe are appropriate to protect myself, but beyond a certain point -- with health providers and my family -- who are not always understanding -- I have learned to stop being so ashamed and guilty. A lot of that has to do with the feedback I've gotten on the forums.

Would we be ashamed if we had cancer?

When we are depressed, we don't need to heap these feelings of embarrassment and shame on ourselves.

I hope you get the feedback you need in chat. Lots of good people here.

To All:

Oops...I forgot to say that, when using the Rx List, it's important, after you've gotten in using the brand name of the drug, to then click on the GENERIC name of the drug. That will get you into the sections that offer all of the information you want.

Sorry I neglected to point that out.

Adieu

Well everybody, thanks to the great advice sky gave me in chat, I've decided that it would be best to see my counsellor from last year. Sky helped me see things from the counsellor's point of view. Thanks, Sky!

Hi, Silver Queen The other replies are very truthful,My experiance after dealing with meds over a 30 year period & finally 2 years ago,getting some that worked for me.It is a chemical imbalance,and enviormental sometimes. It's easier sometimes to blame ourselves,that we can control "the flaw".like we could just wave a magic wand & it would be gone. We do what we can,but theres frustration too.I wrote a poem about it called "what it's like".About people who think we can just "snap out of it".Thats the problem,a lot of times,we can't or we would.That's how I found my way here.Thought I was cured,things were going okay,bam! last week got really depressed for days.Still working through it. Every day is a process, for us all to find the best way we can to live & be happy. With or without meds-whatever works. Hope that helps!

I have to get to sleep, but yes, most forms of depression and other mental disorders are caused by chemical imbalances.
Several things can trigger such imbalances, stress is one huge trigger. Lack of sleep another one. Hormone shifts.
Answer to your post I would definately say "yes", when I was in college we read many things in regards to neurotransmitters and what type of meds work and do not on certain neurotransmitters. I best stop here, my eyes are getting weary, but there are many books and internet info that best explain this, some great info can be found in some of the books I mentioned in my forum for Bipolar Disorder. The books are not all just limited to Bipolar Disorder, they also have info about other things like this.
Hope I helped answer your question.
Please take care now,

DE

Thanks DE, I'll try to get my hand on some of those books.

Thanks!

It might not be chemical for everyone, in my case it is...
And the SAD of course...

Some people don't believe in chemical imbalances.. but too me it makes perfect scense when you talk in terms of seretonin levels in your brain dipping past that invisble line that can cause depression... I beleive it can be.

But others don't think so.... it all has to do with serentonin.
Unless of course if the depression is caused otherwise, greiving, etc.

I believe that depression can be caused by different things. I don't think that meds should be used to treat every case of depression. I do believe that a person can be naturally depressed due to the way they grew up, if they were bullied, had a bad relationship or series of relationships, etc. It also has to do with your thinking. If you believe you're worthless and nobody loves you then you're making it true yourself. My t told me that's called a self-fufilling prophecy.

I believe depression is caused by a number of factors. A chemical imbalance in the brain, environmental factors, learned behaviour and genetics are all thought to play a part in this disorder. Some studies have shown that a combination of psychotherapy and medication work best to help treat depression. Also, psychotherapies can continue to exert positive influences after medication treatments end.

People who continue to have no positive reaction to chemical medications and psychotherapy could maybe try alternatives: such as St. John's wort and naturopathy.

Remember, you are not alone in this. There are plenty of people and organisations that can help.