TL;DR: Depression is not “low serotonin.” It is a whole-body, whole-brain disorder involving disrupted neural circuits, stress systems, inflammation, sleep rhythms, metabolism, and social connection. Understanding this biology is the first step toward real recovery. Click to listen.

Hi everyone,

One of the most persistent myths about depression is that it reflects weakness or a lack of effort.

It does not.

Depression emerges when multiple systems drift out of alignment at the same time. Sleep fragments. Stress circuits stay switched on. Motivation disappears. The brain’s prediction machinery begins to expect failure, threat, and rejection. Over time, the terrain itself changes, making forward movement feel impossible.

In clinic, I see this often. Capable, disciplined people suddenly find that strategies that once worked no longer do. That is not a character problem. That is biology.

This week’s episode focuses on what actually helps people climb out.

We begin with human connection , one of the most underestimated therapeutic tools. Long-lived populations across the world share strong social networks. Social contact is not optional; it is physiological medicine. Even small interactions reduce stress signaling and inflammatory activity in the brain. The right dose is simply what you can manage today.

From there, we discuss psychotherapy , which is far more than talking. Modern cognitive and behavioral therapies measurably change brain activity, retrain distorted predictions, and interrupt self-reinforcing negative loops. In many cases, these therapies perform as well as medication and often better when combined with it.

We then cover biological supports , including supplements and foundational nutrients with real clinical data. These are not cures, but they can stabilize sleep, mood, and energy enough to make other interventions more effective.

Only after leveling the terrain do we talk about medications. Antidepressants can recalibrate stress circuits and increase neuroplasticity, but they work best when layered onto a stable foundation. Adjustment is not failure. It is how remission is reached.

We also touch on advanced options , including TMS and ketamine, for cases where depression becomes severe or resistant.

The central lesson is simple:

You don’t leap out of depression.

You climb out, one rung at a time.

Understanding the biology of it, creates hope, hope creates momentum, and momentum creates change.

If someone in your life is struggling quietly, consider sharing this episode with them. Understanding that depression is a biological system’s problem, not a personal failure, can be the first rung on the ladder toward recovery.