Is Your Low Mood a “Chemical Imbalance”? A New Story of Self-Awareness & Emotional Healing
Why your emotional experience matters more than the serotonin myth—and what real alternatives support healing.
If routine advice has told you that low mood or exhaustion stems from a “chemical imbalance,” it’s time to question that narrative. Recent insights from psychiatrists are dismantling the serotonin deficiency myth. True emotional healing often comes not from medication, but through self-awareness, mindset transformation, stress management, nourishing routines, and nature connection—restoring your mental health and inner trust.
Why the Serotonin Story Doesn’t Hold Up
In a recent conversation between Dr. Rangan Chatterjee and Dr. Joanna Moncrieff, the serotonin-based explanation for depression was heavily critiqued. They remind us that:
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There is no robust scientific proof that low serotonin causes depression.
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The “chemical imbalance” narrative emerged through pharmaceutical marketing in the 1990s.
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Depression diagnosis is based on subjective symptoms—low mood, fatigue, poor sleep—not biological tests.
Women, Burnout & Survival Mode
These symptoms—overwhelm, exhaustion, performance pressure—especially resonate with many women I work with:
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High-achievers juggling demands without rest
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Sensitive, caring souls wondering, “What about me?”
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Brilliant women who never learned to ask for support or process feelings
Their emotional exhaustion isn’t a pathology—it’s a signal: Your heart and body are asking for change.
Medication Isn’t the Only Option
Research has shown that, on average, antidepressants outperform placebo by just 2 points on a 54-point depression scale. When weighed against side effects like emotional numbing, decreased libido, and withdrawal, we must ask: Is it worth it?
In contrast, holistic emotional wellness—like mindset coaching and lifestyle shifts—empowers you, fosters growth, and keeps your emotional agency intact.
5 Pathways to Emotional Healing & Resilience
| Strategy | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Self-awareness & inner work | Discover misalignment and limiting beliefs |
| Mindset transformation | Shift negative thoughts and reclaim your narrative |
| Movement & nourishing nutrition | Boost mood and energy; reduce stress |
| Safe sun exposure | Supports natural vitamin D production |
| Connected living | Redefines success with relationships, meaning, play, creativity, and nature |
Your sadness, exhaustion, or lack of motivation isn’t brokenness—it’s a message: It’s time to come home to yourself.
What If Emotional Pain Was Wisdom, Not Pathology?
What if women’s emotional suffering wasn’t something to “fix,” but something to honor and explore? What if burnout, overwhelm, and low mood were gateways to deeper self-understanding and transformation?
Your Invitation to a New Perspective
If this resonates with you, I invite you to listen to the full conversation between Dr. Joanna Moncrieff and Dr. Rangan Chatterjee. It may shift your perspective—and help you show yourself greater kindness in the process.
🎧 [Listen to the full episode here]
Remember: your body and heart know how to heal. You don’t need to be fixed—you need to be heard.