Eli5: why is there no test for the “chemical imbalance” that is often mentioned for depression?
In: Chemistry
Chemical imbalance isn’t something we can see on a test. It mostly is observed in behavior and cognition. So a person will meet a psychologist or psychiatrist and go through some diagnosis to determine what is being treated.
What’s being treated will often inform what kind of medication needs to be taken. More extreme illnesses usually have the same cause while something like depression can have many variables. A lot of things can get misdiagnosed as depression simply because there hasn’t been enough behavioral analysis.
Depression could be caused by an imbalance of dopamine or serotonin. This can require some experimentation on behalf of the medical provider and the client. The imbalance might need medications that adjust one or both chemicals up or down, or adjust reuptake.
Reuptake can be a problem for many people because, while their brain might produce enough serotonin it might recycle it faster than it gets used. Imagine only being able to get two bites of your lunch before your parent takes your plate and puts it in the fridge as leftovers.
And once a medication is deemed to work for a client, dosage can be important. Some people spend years dialing in their medication, and sometimes people need to make adjustments because of factors like age, weight, and any other medications they might start or stop.
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