Do you feel permanently in a low mood? Do you have trouble falling asleep? Have you lost interest in everything that previously interested you? Are you feeling irritable? Have you lost your appetite?
If all the answers are yes, perhaps one of the responsible factors is the inadequate function of serotonin. And you will wonder... What is serotonin and how is it related to my mood? If you want to find all the answers, we recommend that you continue reading this article on Psychology-Online to know what is the relationship between serotonin and depression. We also teach you to increase your serotonin levels naturally!
Index
- What is serotonin and how is it related to my mood?
- Relationship between serotonin and depression
- How do we increase serotonin levels?
- Conclusions on the lack of serotonin
What is serotonin and how is it related to my mood?
Serotonin (5-HT) is a chemical that functions as a neurotransmitter that the human body produces. It plays a key role in the central nervous system, in the overall functioning of the body and in particular in the gastro-intestinal tract.
Serotonin helps regulate mood, social behavior, eating habits, sleep and sexual desire. By participating in mood regulation, is related to depressive disorder.
Low serotonin and depression
And you will think... are the low serotonin levels those that contribute to depression? Or, conversely, does depression cause a decrease in serotonin levels? Depression and serotonin are linked, but we don't know which causes which. Next, we show you the scientific evidence that has tried to find the relationship between serotonin and depression.
Relationship between serotonin and depression.
In 1965, Joseph Schildkraut was the pioneer in publishing a hypothesis that related depression and a low level of norepyrephrine. Years later, other researchers proposed that serotonin could be the neurotransmitter with greater weight in emotions. Furthermore, attempts were also made to induce depressive states by chemically lowering serotonin levels during an experiment, but the results are not convincing.
Recent studies in neurochemistry and psychology have not been able to establish a direct relationship between serotonin and depression. What we can determine today is that the brain is a very complex organ and we know little about how it works. Fortunately, these studies continue to advance very rapidly and it is possible that in a short time we will be able to prove (or disprove) the theories of chemical imbalance.
How do we increase serotonin levels?
Although scientific evidence does not show a direct relationship, it is important to maintain good levels of serotonin to maintain our mental health. Next, we teach you how to increase serotonin levels:
How to Increase Serotonin Naturally
You can increase serotonin levels naturally. How?
- Working out. Exercising regularly tends to increase the levels of many neurotransmitters, including serotonin. So when we finish doing sports we feel better.
- Maintaining a regular sleep cycle. We need to rest between seven and eight hours a day to recover from external factors that cause stress and fatigue. Lack of sleep keeps stress hormones (adrenaline and cortisol) permanently elevated and disrupts the circadian rhythm.
- Sunbathing. Sunbathing increases vitamin D and balances the level of melatonin involved in the production of serotonin.
- With your diet. A diet rich in tryptophan (a substance that helps our body produce more serotonin). Some foods that contain it: chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa) and banana!
- Practicing relaxation techniques. It will help you regulate the functions of your body. Suggestions: abdominal breathing, yoga, mindfulness...
- Working your mind. "The placebo is you."
- Doing pleasant activities to feel positive emotions.
Serotonin in drugs
The antidepressant drugs par excellence are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) that modify the levels of it. The most popular SSRI antidepressant is fluoxetine and its function is to prevent serotonin from leaving our brain and to maintain high levels of serotonin between neurons, which can help alleviate the symptoms of depression.
At present, the mechanism of action is not fully clarified. Serotonin levels in the blood can be measured but it is not yet known whether these blood levels reflect serotonin levels in the brain.
Important! These drugs should only be taken under the prescription of a specialist doctor and without abusing them.
Conclusions about the lack of serotonin.
Last but not least, it is imperative not to generalize! Although it is undeniable that this neurotransmitter is important for mental health, thinking that the problem of depression comes down to the serotonin levels of the brain is imprecise. The brain and our own way of interacting with the world is much more complex.
Serotonin deficiency is a relevant factor for depressive disorder, but we have to be aware that it is the combination of different factors what predisposes a person to suffer from depressive symptoms.
Keep in mind, too, that it has been scientifically proven that psychotherapy is highly effective in mild and moderate depressive disorders. However, for severe cases of depression or for certain people, psychotherapy may not be enough. Even so, each case is different and we recommend that you consult with a specialist to face the situation in an individual way and adapted to your needs.
Remember that your health and well-being always come first!
This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
If you want to read more articles similar to What is the relationship between serotonin and depression, we recommend that you enter our category of Neuropsychology.
Bibliography
- Artigas., F. (1997). The serotonin transporter as a therapeutic target. Neurochemistry Department. Barcelona Institute for Biomedical Research.
- Schildkraut JJ (1965) The catecholamine hypothesis of affective disorders: A review of supporting evidence. J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci 7: 524– 533. Find this article online
- Coppen A (1967) The biochemistry of affective disorders. Br J Psychiatry 113: 1237–1264
- Lacasse, J. R., & Leo, J. (2006). Serotonin and Depression. Drug Bulletins, 9(1).
