Chemical Imbalance Theory: Was It Really Just an 'Urban Legend'?

Was the Chemical Imbalance Theory Really Never Taken Seriously by Psychiatrists?

A comprehensive investigation published in SSM - Mental Health reveals that leading psychiatrists and influential textbooks actively endorsed the serotonin theory of depression between 1990 and 2010, contradicting recent claims by prominent psychiatrists that the chemical imbalance theory was merely an “urban legend” never taken seriously by the profession. The study by Benjamin Ang, Mark Horowitz, and Joanna Moncrieff demonstrates that psychiatry bears significant responsibility for disseminating the theory and its associated antidepressant use.

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Serotonin Theory of Depression: Landmark Review Challenges Chemical Imbalance Model

Is depression caused by low serotonin?

No. A comprehensive umbrella review of 17 studies found no consistent evidence linking depression to lowered serotonin concentration or activity. The review examined six major areas of serotonin research and found no support for the hypothesis that depression is caused by serotonin deficiency, challenging decades of accepted theory.

The review found that evidence across multiple research domains consistently failed to support the serotonin theory, with some findings suggesting long-term antidepressant use may actually reduce serotonin concentration rather than increase it.

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