Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsChemical ImbalancesMental IllnessSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Chemical Imbalances
Mental Illness
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Frequently Asked Questions
A chemical imbalance happens when there is too much or too little of any substance in the body that helps it function normally. While it can apply to an imbalance of any of these substances in any area of the body, the term is usually used to refer to imbalances in thebrain.
This article discusses chemical imbalances in the brain, some of their symptoms, and what can cause them. It also explores the various treatments for chemical imbalances.
Verywell / Michela Buttignol
What Is a Chemical Imbalance?
A chemical imbalance occurs when the substances that help the body function the way it should become out of balance. Either too much or too little of these substances can cause a chemical imbalance that affects the body’s ability to function normally.
These chemical imbalances are often linked to health conditions. For example, a hormonal imbalance occurs withpolycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which in turn puts a person at risk for other conditions such as type 2 diabetes and infertility.
Too much or too little of these substances anywhere in the body is considered a chemical imbalance. However, the term “chemical imbalance” is usually associated with chemical imbalances in the brain and their potential effect on mental health and related conditions.
Chemical Imbalances in the Brain
Some of the main neurotransmitters include:
These neurotransmitters help with many functions including:
Dysfunction of these neurotransmitters has been linked to conditions such as:
Linked does not mean causative. It can reflect the effects of the underlying primary condition.
The balance of chemicals in the brain is thought to be one influence on depression and anxiety disorders, along with a combination of factors such as:
Can Stress Cause a Chemical Imbalance?In addition to affecting the balance of neurotransmitters, stress can affect chemical balances in multiple systems of the body including:The nervous systemThe digestive systemThe endocrine (hormones) systemThe cardiovascular systemThe reproductive system
Can Stress Cause a Chemical Imbalance?
In addition to affecting the balance of neurotransmitters, stress can affect chemical balances in multiple systems of the body including:The nervous systemThe digestive systemThe endocrine (hormones) systemThe cardiovascular systemThe reproductive system
In addition to affecting the balance of neurotransmitters, stress can affect chemical balances in multiple systems of the body including:
Neurotransmitters: Roles in Brain and Body
Mental Illness and Chemical Imbalances
Neurotransmitter levels that are too high or too low can contribute to various mental health conditions, but a “chemical imbalance” may be too simplistic as an explanation for these conditions.
Depression
There was little evidence to make this definitive conclusion. Rather, while there is evidence that shows antidepressants like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) can be effective in the treatment of depression, the exact reason for how this improvement happens isn’t known.
“Chemical imbalance” and “serotonin deficiency” were used as a metaphor for the more complex workings of the brain and factors involved with depression. This erroneously led many people to believe that treating depression with antidepressants was like treating hypothyroidism with thyroid medications or type 1 diabetes with insulin—a simple matter of replenishing low serotonin.
More recent advertising highlights that the medication affects neurotransmitters instead of correcting an imbalance. This reflects the complexity and nuance involved in treating depression and how treatments for mental health conditions are not one-size-fits-all.
It’s suggested that there is no “optimal” amount of neurotransmitters, so it would be difficult to define an imbalance. In addition, medications that are not SSRIs have also been shown to alleviate depression symptoms. This implies that depression is more than a simple chemical imbalance.
While brain chemicals play a part in depression, things like nerve cell connections, nerve cell growth, and the functioning of nerve circuits also contribute to depression.
Addiction
Drugs that create a sensation of euphoria cause a flood of dopamine, and over time, this causes the brain to become less efficient at producing, transmitting, and absorbing dopamine without the drug. When dopamine levels in the brain become abnormally low, the person using the drug becomes dependent on it.
Other Mental Health Issues
Other mental health issues are associated with neurotransmitters and other substances in the brain that are either too high or too low. Some of these include:
Chemical Imbalance in the Brain Symptoms
Symptoms of a chemical imbalance in the brain are associated with several psychiatric diagnoses.
There are several forms ofdepression, each with its own unique list of symptoms. Some of the most common types of depression include:
Some of the more general symptoms of depression include:
Anxiety Disorders
As with depression, there are several types ofanxiety disordersthat are best explored individually. Some of the major types include:
Some general symptoms of anxiety disorders include:
Schizophrenia
Schizophreniahas been strongly linked to a chemical imbalance in the brain. Symptoms of schizophrenia include:
Causes of Chemical Imbalances in the Brain
There are some things that may cause neurotransmitters to function improperly:
It is important to note that these factors apply to neurotransmitter disruption and do not necessarily cause a mental health condition in and of themselves.
It is also hypothesized that the mitochondria may play a part in the function of neurotransmitters and their role in depression.
There is no reliable test for a chemical imbalance in the brain. Unlike some other chemicals in the body, neurotransmitters can’t be accurately measured.
Symptoms of mental health conditions such as anxiety or depression may indicate some problems with the way the brain—including the chemicals in the brain—is functioning.
If you are experiencing symptoms of a mental health condition associated with chemical imbalance, see your healthcare professional to explore a diagnosis and treatment options.
The theory of chemical imbalance and its effect on mental health largely stems from the success in symptom reduction from medications when used to treat mental health conditions, but this link is far from clear-cut.
Instead of making a diagnosis of a chemical imbalance in the brain, diagnoses of specific mental health conditions are made.
Treatments
Medication
Antidepressants and other medications that affect brain chemistry are often prescribed to treat the conditions associated with a chemical imbalance. While these medications do help some people, they are not a cure-all.
Mental health disorders have multifaceted causes. While two people may share similar symptoms, they may have different pathologies and respond differently to treatment options.
Some medications prescribed to influence neurotransmitter function include:
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
Similarities and Differences Between Zoloft and Prozac
Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)
SNRIs inhibit the reuptake of both norepinephrine and serotonin. Examples include:
Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs)
TCAs block the absorption of serotonin and norepinephrine and have several other impacts on neurotransmitters. Examples include:
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)
MAOIs inhibit the action of an enzyme called monoamine oxidase, making more neurotransmitters available for use in mood regulation. Examples include:
Atypical antidepressants
These are newer antidepressants that don’t fit into the above categories. Examples include:
Antipsychotics
Antipsychotics are used to manage psychosis (a loss of contact with reality). Examples of first-generation (“typical”) antipsychotic medications include:
Examples of second-generation (“atypical”) antipsychotic medications include:
Non-Pharmaceutical Treatment
Non-pharmaceutical treatments may be enough on their own to help some people with depression or anxiety but are often used in combination with medication.
Summary
A chemical imbalance can happen anywhere in the body, but it usually refers to the association between neurotransmitter function and mental health. It isn’t possible to measure a chemical imbalance in the brain, but there are many mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety that are associated with what is colloquially known as a chemical imbalance.
A Word From VerywellBoiling any medical condition down to a “chemical imbalance” is often too simplistic of a description that misses the complexities of the diagnosis. However, addressing possible chemical imbalances with your healthcare provider may be a good starting point for working up to a diagnosis and finding the most appropriate treatment.—NICHOLAS R. METRUS, MD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
A Word From Verywell
Boiling any medical condition down to a “chemical imbalance” is often too simplistic of a description that misses the complexities of the diagnosis. However, addressing possible chemical imbalances with your healthcare provider may be a good starting point for working up to a diagnosis and finding the most appropriate treatment.—NICHOLAS R. METRUS, MD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
Boiling any medical condition down to a “chemical imbalance” is often too simplistic of a description that misses the complexities of the diagnosis. However, addressing possible chemical imbalances with your healthcare provider may be a good starting point for working up to a diagnosis and finding the most appropriate treatment.
—NICHOLAS R. METRUS, MD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
The term “chemical imbalance” is somewhat of a catch-all phrase used to discuss dysfunction in the brain associated with some mental health conditions.The chemicals in the brain that help facilitate communication between nerve cells are called neurotransmitters. A disruption in their proper functioning can affect mood and other bodily processes.
The term “chemical imbalance” is somewhat of a catch-all phrase used to discuss dysfunction in the brain associated with some mental health conditions.
The chemicals in the brain that help facilitate communication between nerve cells are called neurotransmitters. A disruption in their proper functioning can affect mood and other bodily processes.
Chemicals in the brain can’t be accurately measured, and these chemicals' optimal level is unknown (if there is one at all). In that sense, a chemical imbalance in the brain can’t be “fixed.”
Experts do not know exactly how these medications work to create this effect, but it is believed to involve more than simply replenishing brain chemicals.
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