There are a variety of studies that both confirm and refute the theory of serotonin causing depression, which is what most clinicians are referring to when they attribute depression to a chemical imbalance. Although first proposed in the 1960s, the serotonin theory of depression started to be widely promoted by the pharmaceutical industry in the 1990s in association with its efforts to market a new range of antidepressants, known as selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs.1 However, recent studies have argued against the chemical imbalance theory.
While depression cannot be limited to a single cause, there are biological factors at play, and neuroscience plays an important role in the prevalence of depression. Depression is a neurological disorder, related to the nervous system, more than just a mood disorder. To treat depression, one needs to understand the impact depression has on the brain. If you or a loved one are currently struggling with depression, depressed moods, or another mental illness, AMFM Mental Health Treatment provides mental health programming designed to address the biological factors of depression. Call today to learn if your insurance provider covers depression treatment.
Depression impacts the neurotransmitters that transmit dopamine and serotonin to the brain. By understanding the neurobiology involved in depression, doctors can prescribe antidepressants that address these particular neurons. Specifically, when healthcare professionals refer to chemical imbalances, they’re usually referring to the serotonin theory of depression–a theory that attributes depression to low serotonin.
In depressed individuals, elevated or increased cortisol levels can impact moods and stress responses. Incorporating daily activities like yoga and meditation can help lower cortisol levels.
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If we are not an appropriate provider for care, we will assist in finding a care provider that can help.
Psychiatry and pharmacology play an important role in depression treatment; there are a variety of different antidepressant medications that have been proven as effective treatment (in combination with psychotherapy) for depression. Some types of antidepressants are listed here, but inquire with a licensed medical professional or psychiatrist for detailed information on different treatments. Never take psychiatric medication unless it is prescribed to you, and be sure to consult with medical professionals in case of external risk factors.
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) and Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs) are antidepressant medications that treat different neurotransmitters in order to block the reabsorption of serotonin or norepinephrine, keeping more of the chemicals in the synaptic cleft. Both are effective treatments for depression, but depend upon the individual, and should be approached with medical guidance and professional advice. Both of these types of antidepressant drugs operate under the assumption of treating serotonin receptors to help treat depression.
Popular SSRIs include: Citalopram (Celexa), Escitalopram (Lexapro), Fluoxetine (Prozac), Paroxetine (Paxil), and Sertraline (Zoloft). However, recent studies surrounding the biochemical treatment of mental disorders have poked holes in the serotonin hypothesis.
Perforated St-John’s Wort is also known as an over-the-counter medication to help treat mild to moderate depression, but can cause side effects, particularly in combination with other medications. If you’re currently on medications for any other medical conditions, it’s important to review any over-the-counter medications and their interactions with a medical professional. Click here to learn more about the importance of medication management.
Depression can present differently among those experiencing depressive symptoms. There are several forms of depression, each of which have their own features and recommended treatments. While this is not an exhaustive list of mental health depression conditions, it does highlight some of the most common:
Over a thousand studies have been conducted on the genetic and biological basis of depression, major depressive disorder, and other depressive disorders. These biological studies have spanned analyses of candidate genes, genome-wide association studies, genome-wide sequencing, family and twin studies. They’ve evaluated the significance of particular genetic variations that signal increased risk of depression. If you have close relatives and family members who are diagnosed with depression, you or a loved one may have a predisposition to developing psychiatric disorders, particularly in the face of stressful life events.
All have concluded that the contribution of genetic factors to the risk of the onset of Depressive Disorders is quite large.7 However, they have also found that while major depression is a familial disorder, and its familiality mostly or entirely results from genetic influences; the development of depression also relies on environmental factors specific to an individual.8 Because major depression is a complex disorder, it results from a combination of both environmental and genetic influences–these results and findings are not mutually exclusive. A family history of depression, in combination with external stressor, can contribute to the prevalence of depression.
Most recently, researchers used a meta-analysis to report “a genome-wide significant locus for depression that implicates genes that are highly plausible for involvement in the etiology of recurrent depression.”9 While they did not locate the exact genetic components, or a “depression gene,” the increased data and information helped to point them into a closer direction of which chromosomes are affected specifically in the heritability of depression.
Yes, most health insurance companies provide some form of coverage for depression treatment. This often includes both inpatient and outpatient care, depending on your symptoms. Coverage generally applies to therapy, counseling, and medication management services. Your plan may have limitations, exclusions, or required authorizations.
We encourage you to verify your coverage with AMFM Mental Health Treatment to understand the full scope of your benefits. This is especially true if you’re looking for specific treatments, like postpartum depression treatments or persistent depressive disorder treatment options.
What to Expect
Insurance Verification
Our team will verify if your insurance provider is in-network with an AMFM Healthcare Facility.
Contact From Admission Representative:
Expect a call within an hour from an admissions representative to discuss treatment options.
AMFM Mental Health Treatment Center has multiple inpatient and outpatient treatment centers offering major depressive disorder treatments. California, Virginia, and Washington locations offer you or your loved one mental health programming and mental health crisis services at the highest level of care. We provide comprehensive case management, a variety of evidence-based therapies, behavioral health services, and a safe and supportive environment for wellness. We are strategically placed to provide accessible, high-quality care tailored to your needs. To find out more about our facilities, contact us. Explore our locations below to find the one nearest to you.
AMFM’s California treatment centers are located up and down the coast of Southern California, from the greater Los Angeles area, to Orange County, down to San Diego. Our inpatient mental mental health treatment program locations are: Fallbrook, Carlsbad, Lake Forest, Dana Point, San Juan Capistrano, Laguna Hills, and Laguna Nigel. For personalized support and for insurance verification, contact us.
If you’re searching terms like “mental health treatment near me” in Virginia, AMFM’s mental health treatment programs are available in Fairfax Station, Vienna, and Great Falls, VA. These locations in Virginia specialized treatment to meet your specific mental health care needs.
AMFM Mental Health Treatment Center offers outpatient mental health treatment programs in Washington, conveniently located at 6900 East Green Lake Way N, Suite G, Seattle, WA 98115. A Mission For Michael Mental Health Treatment has one location in the state, providing dedicated and comprehensive mental health care.
AMFM Mental Health Treatment has extensive experience treating a variety of mental health disorders beyond depression through evidence-based therapies, including but not limited to the following:
Recovery can feel isolating; mental health programming can provide cohesive treatment plans to help you or your loved one as you move forward.
Moncrieff, J., & Horowitz, M. (n.d.). Depression probably not caused by chemical imbalance: Study. NewsGP. https://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/clinical/depression-probably-not-caused-by-chemical-imbalan
Smoski MJ, Felder J, Bizzell J, Green SR, Ernst M, Lynch TR, Dichter GS. fMRI of alterations in reward selection, anticipation, and feedback in major depressive disorder. J Affect Disord. 2009 Nov;118(1-3):69-78. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2009.01.034. Epub 2009 Mar 3. PMID: 19261334; PMCID: PMC2745481.
Hasler G. Pathophysiology of depression: do we have any solid evidence of interest to clinicians? World Psychiatry. 2010 Oct;9(3):155-61. doi: 10.1002/j.2051-5545.2010.tb00298.x. PMID: 20975857; PMCID: PMC2950973.
Jacob, Y., Morris, L.S., Verma, G. et al. Altered hippocampus and amygdala subregion connectome hierarchy in major depressive disorder. Transl Psychiatry 12, 209 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-022-01976-0
Pizzagalli, D.A., Roberts, A.C. Prefrontal cortex and depression. Neuropsychopharmacol. 47, 225–246 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41386-021-01101-7
Bains N, Abdijadid S. Major Depressive Disorder. [Updated 2023 Apr 10]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK559078/
Shadrina M, Bondarenko EA, Slominsky PA. Genetics Factors in Major Depression Disease. Front Psychiatry. 2018 Jul 23;9:334. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00334. PMID: 30083112; PMCID: PMC6065213.
Sullivan PF, Neale MC, Kendler KS. Genetic epidemiology of major depression: review and meta-analysis. Am J Psychiatry. 2000 Oct;157(10):1552-62. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.157.10.1552. PMID: 11007705.
Breen G, Webb BT, Butler AW, van den Oord EJ, Tozzi F, Craddock N, Gill M, Korszun A, Maier W, Middleton L, Mors O, Owen MJ, Cohen-Woods S, Perry J, Galwey NW, Upmanyu R, Craig I, Lewis CM, Ng M, Brewster S, Preisig M, Rietschel M, Jones L, Knight J, Rice J, Muglia P, Farmer AE, McGuffin P. A genome-wide significant linkage for severe depression on chromosome 3: the depression network study. Am J Psychiatry. 2011 Aug;168(8):840-7. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2011.10091342. Epub 2011 May 15. PMID: 21572164.
