(NaturalHealth365)  It wasn’t long ago when Big Pharma was considered a benevolent force.  Times have clearly changed.  Nowadays, just about everyone with critical thinking skills is suspicious about the role Big Pharma will play in the lives of everyday people in the years ahead.  Those skeptical of Big Pharma question whether the industry has nefarious intentions, especially when treating depression.

Scientists are now saying the chemical imbalance theory that provided steady revenue for the industry is illegitimate.  The findings stem from research conducted by academicians at the University College London.  The scientists reviewed several decades of research and determined that alterations to serotonin levels do not cause depression.  Here’s a closer look at the findings and their importance.

Is the chemical imbalance theory just another Big Pharma invention?

The medical and scientific communities once agreed that a chemical imbalance within the brain was the likely cause of depression.  However, now that additional studies have been conducted, it appears that alterations in the “happy chemical” within the brain called serotonin do not lead to depression.

In other words, the chemical imbalance theory that made Big Pharma what it is today appears to be a half-truth or even a bald-faced lie.

Antidepressants have made Pharma millions without addressing the root cause

Rewind to the 1980s and 1990s, and most people found ways to beat depression.  However, it wasn’t until the late 1990s and early 2000 that antidepressant medications became nearly ubiquitous.  As an example, depressed people flocked to Zoloft.  However, the problem with Zoloft is that it attempts to remedy supposed chemical imbalances within the brain that were supposedly tied to depression symptoms rather than addressing the root cause of the sadness.

Lexapro is another excellent example of an antidepressant that relieves anxiety and depression through serotonin boosts.  Another popular medication prescribed to treat depression, Paxil CR, prevents serotonin from moving back into the nerve cell that transmitted it.  Such a process hikes serotonin access, transmitting it to nerve cells, potentially shifting the patient from a depressed state to a normal state.

Scientists must get back to the drawing board and search for real solutions

In summary, objective, unbiased, and seemingly benevolent scientists have determined that chemical imbalances are not the cause of depression.  Though there is the potential for chemical imbalances within the brain to contribute to depression and other mental health problems, the academic community believes other factors, such as environment, are more likely to spur the onset of depression.  And, let’s not forget the importance of better gut health to avoid the risk of depression.

Serotonin imbalance within the brain appears to be a natural occurrence unrelated to depression, prompting the medical community to take a step back and review the prudence of prescribing antidepressants at such a high frequency.  Perhaps the better approach to conquering depression is to address the nation’s food supply issues … most specifically, help to support the creation of more organic farms and incentivize the decentralization of our food production systems.

It is clear that the mystery of human depression has not been solved.  The silver lining to the finding highlighted above is that it might wean those hooked on antidepressants off the medication, ultimately helping those unfortunate souls address the true cause of their depression.  It is also worth noting that some medications, including certain antidepressants, have the potential to compromise digestive health and increase the risk of depression.

Stay tuned as more information about the antidepressant research detailed above is released in the ensuing weeks.

Sources for this article include:

ChildrensHealthDefense.org