Let’s get one thing straight: the “chemical imbalance” theory of mental health is outdated garbage.
For years, we’ve been told that depression and anxiety are caused by low serotonin—so, naturally, the solution must be to pop some SSRIs and call it a day. But if this theory were even remotely true, then why are millions of people still struggling despite taking their meds exactly as prescribed?
Because serotonin isn’t the full picture—and for many people, it’s not even the right thing to be targeting.
If you’ve been told that your mood issues, brain fog, and exhaustion are just a serotonin problem, it’s time to wake up. Your brain chemistry is way more complex than that, and real healing requires looking deeper.
The Serotonin Scam: Why More Isn’t Always Better
The idea that “low serotonin = depression” is oversimplified nonsense.
For starters, plenty of people with depression have completely normal serotonin levels. And guess what? Too much serotonin can make you worse. Ever heard of serotonin syndrome? It’s what happens when there’s an overload of this so-called “happy chemical,” and it causes:
Agitation
Insomnia
Increased anxiety
Irritability
Brain fog
Sound familiar? That’s because many people on SSRIs feel like crap. Some even feel emotionally numb—because serotonin isn’t just about happiness; it regulates emotional range, meaning too much of it can flatten your emotions entirely.
What You Should REALLY Be Fixing
If serotonin isn’t the answer, what is? Let’s talk about what actually impacts your mood, energy, and mental clarity:
1. Dopamine: The Forgotten Powerhouse
Serotonin gets all the attention, but dopamine is what actually makes you feel motivated, excited, and alive.
If you feel unmotivated, lethargic, or numb, you probably have low dopamine.
If you rely on caffeine, sugar, or scrolling TikTok to feel something, that’s dopamine depletion in action.
How to fix it? Protein, sunlight, movement, and real nervous system balance (hint: acupuncture and NET help).
2. Blood Sugar: The Silent Mood Killer
If your blood sugar is all over the place, your mood will be too. Ever felt “hangry”? That’s a blood sugar crash triggering a stress response.
Spiking and crashing your blood sugar all day leads to anxiety, brain fog, and exhaustion.
This is why cutting out processed carbs, eating more protein, and balancing minerals can completely change your mood—without a single pill.
3. Gut Health: The Real “Second Brain”
If your digestion is a mess, your mood will be too.
90% of serotonin is made in your gut, but if your microbiome is off, that process gets wrecked.
A messed-up gut = low energy, anxiety, and brain fog.
Fixing digestion with the right foods and supplements (hello, Standard Process and whole food nutrition) can clear mood issues faster than antidepressants ever could.
4. Trapped Emotional Stress: The Issue No One Talks About
If you’ve been through trauma (even if you don’t consciously think about it), your nervous system is stuck in survival mode.
This means your brain is prioritizing survival over happiness.
Until you clear those trapped emotions, no amount of serotonin is going to “fix” you.
Neuro Emotional Technique (NET) is one of the fastest ways to clear emotional baggage so your nervous system can actually calm down.
Stop Chasing Serotonin and Start Fixing the Root Cause
If you’ve been relying on SSRIs, caffeine, or sugar just to function, it’s time for a better approach.
Your mood isn’t just about one neurotransmitter—it’s about blood sugar, nervous system balance, gut health, and dopamine. And guess what? Those are all things that acupuncture, Nutrition Response Testing, and real food can fix naturally.
You don’t have to settle for numbing yourself with meds. You can actually feel like yourself again—if you fix the right things.
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