by KC Kelly, Ph.D., LMHC

http://DOCintheBiz.com

Are there such things as true brain chemical imbalances?  Someone commented on a former article I wrote and respectfully questioned brain chemical imbalances. I appreciated and also respected the question so much and had so much to say on the subject, that it inspired me to write an article.

He asked, “The mind and body are so intrinsically linked that I’m not sure how we can tell which comes first. In other words, could the chemical imbalance actually be caused by some deep unconscious negative thought patterns? Or are the behaviors associated with issues such as bi-polar, depression, etc. inevitable because of the physical/chemical changes taking place first?”

GREAT QUESTION and here is my take:

Yes, the mind and body are indeed very intrinsically linked as I have written about in my article,

http://docinthebiz.com/blog/hello-world/

and it most certainly IS difficult to determine which comes first: The mind creating the disturbance, or the chemicals in the brain creating the physical symptoms which disturb us.

I have to say that everyone does have their own opinion on this topic and it can often times be a very touchy subject.

I happen to be a doctor who fully believes that there are such things as true brain chemical imbalances. Can mind set, thought patterns, and attitude bring on anxiety attacks, panic attacks, or anger explosions, for example? Without question. Can these same mind sets, thought patterns, attitudes, and good coping skills help alleviate the symptoms? Without question. However, are there chemicals in the brain that misfire, are limited, or in overabundance and cause major issues for us beyond our conscious or unconscious control? In my opinion, most definitely.

Another idea that was proposed is that people are “made up of the exact same stuff as you and me,” and is something in which I must respectfully disagree. Yes, we all bleed red, but our chemical make-ups are most certainly proven to me (through much reading, study, and research) to be substantially different.

Unfortunately, brain chemical imbalances are very real and very true. The people who suffer with them, truly suffer and can endure great mental anguish and loss of quality of life. There is, however, a major difference between feeling sad and being in a severe state of clinical depression. There is also a major difference between feeling anxious and having an anxiety or panic attack. If you truly do suffer with a brain chemical imbalance, it’s not difficult to understand the difference. The difficulty comes in when trying to express, describe, or explain it to those who have never had these experiences.

And so, I do completely understand someone out of the field or who has not personally experienced either to question this philosophy.
Medications give us relief along with psychotherapy (as they should be teamed together). And the rest is very questionable. I continue to try to learn about these disorders, constantly increasing my knowledge base and cognizance of the disorders and treatments to help people.

Thus far, has a cure been found? No. Does anyone know exactly what is going on inside the brain? No. Can anyone truly know the answer to the question, what causes brain chemical imbalances or are there such things as true brain chemical imbalances? I gave you my answer and different scholarly hypotheses prove this to be true as well. And so, the last question I ask is: Is there successfully proven treatment options for those with brain chemical imbalances for most (but not all) emotional/mental disorders? Yes. And that is the good news!

Please visit me at http://DOCintheBiz.com for mental health self help links and the opportunity to email me for professional and confidential help with any concerns you may have. You are never alone!

Dr. KC
http://DOCintheBiz.com

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