Why do doctors prescribe SSRI for people with social anxiety despite that SA means high serotonin

Question

>Researchers at Uppsala University in Sweden conducted brain scans on volunteers and found that those with social anxiety disorder produced too much serotonin in the amygdala. The more serotonin their brains produced, the more anxious they were in social situations, the investigators found.

How come SSRI are effective in treating anxiety if it increases serotonin concentration in brain

In: Biology

Answer 1

SSRIs slow down the reabsorption of serotonin. That means any excess is flushed away in the normal timescale, which is helpful for people with SAD because it evens out their absorption rate to be a constant and steady dose, without spiking or getting too much in a day.