Rethinking Mental Health: What The Science Actually Says About Depression, The Side Effects of Antidepressants & Finding Balance with Professor Joanna Moncrieff #563

In this episode of "Feel Better, Live More," Dr. Rangan Chatterjee interviews Dr. Joanna Moncrieff, a professor of critical and social psychiatry, about the chemical imbalance theory of depression and the use of antidepressants. They discuss how the pharmaceutical industry promoted the chemical imbalance theory, the lack of scientific evidence supporting it, and the limited difference between antidepressants and placebos. They also explore the subjective nature of depression diagnoses, the potential side effects of SSRIs like emotional numbness and sexual dysfunction, and the challenges of antidepressant withdrawal. Moncrieff and Chatterjee advocate for viewing emotions as meaningful signals and considering alternative treatments like exercise and mindfulness, rather than relying solely on medication. They critique the over-medicalization of normal human emotions and the disempowering effect of teaching people that negative emotions represent a deficiency.