What Came First: The Chicken or the Egg of Depression? A Chemical Imbalance or Trauma?
The “chicken or the egg” dilemma is a classic question that highlights the cyclical nature of cause and effect. Applied to mental health, the question becomes: is major depression (and other disorders) caused by a chemical imbalance, or is it rooted in past trauma, either consciously or unconsciously remembered?
For over 40 years, the biomedical model of depression has dominated discussions in the United States. However, I contend that this model is, at best, pseudoscientific. Despite its widespread acceptance, no blood test has conclusively proven that a chemical imbalance causes depression or any of the disorders listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). Numerous studies from 1987 to 2022 have highlighted this lack of evidence, yet the model persists, largely driven by the influence of the American Psychiatric Association and pharmaceutical companies.
I argue that most of our emotional states are formed before the age of eight, except in cases of drug-induced states. To explore this hypothesis, imagine a hypothetical study in which I volunteer as the test subject:
1.Baseline Measurements: In a safe and controlled environment, medical technicians would perform a blood draw and conduct an MRI of my brain.
2.Induced Trauma (Hypothetical Scenario): I am blindfolded, sleep-deprived, and subjected to five days of intense psychological and physical stress, including waterboarding. This hypothetical scenario would undoubtedly leave me with PTSD symptoms and depression.
Although such an experiment would be unethical, it underscores a key point: trauma plays a significant role in mental health. After this hypothetical ordeal, a second set of blood tests and MRIs would be conducted to compare my pre- and post-trauma results. I am confident there would be marked differences in both brain activity and blood chemistry.
Would these changes indicate that I am depressed solely because of what shows up in the MRI or blood work? So far, there isn’t a blood test to definitively diagnosed depression. Advocates of the biomedical model might argue so, focusing on these markers without considering the critical context of my personal history. This approach oversimplifies the complex interplay of trauma and mental health.
Currently, nearly 25% of the adult population in the U.S. takes medication for mental health issues. According to the CDC, state-by-state rates range from Arkansas (34%) to Hawaii (13%). Yet the rising prevalence of these medications calls into question whether we are adequately addressing the root causes of these conditions.
If I were to experience clinical depression, I might seek out therapy. There are numerous approaches available, including the 13 modalities listed in the resource below. However, mental health care should prioritize individualized treatment that considers both biological and personal history—not a one-size-fits-all biomedical model. See:
https://clintmatheny.com/for-therapists-stop-the-pain/
Below is an interview with Joanna Moncrieff. She is a British psychiatrist and academic. She is Professor of Critical and Social Psychiatry at University College London and a leading figure in the Critical Psychiatry Network. She is a prominent critic of the modern ‘psychopharmacological‘ model of mental disorder and drug treatment, and the role of the pharmaceutical industry.
Clint77090@gmail.com