A landmark study was released two days ago that definitively found that there is no chemical imbalance that causes depression. We also know that there is no chemical imbalance that causes any mental illness.

I’m on various psychiatry forums and I’ve been watching everyone’s response to this study coming out. What I have seen has deeply disturbed me. Almost all of the psychiatrists are saying “we never thought there was a chemical imbalance and we never told anyone that!”

I know for a fact that this is not true. I know because I have heard from thousands of patients who were told that by their psychiatrists and I know because I made that mistake myself.

In my traditional psychiatric training, I was taught that a chemical imbalance causes mental illness. And sadly, I believed this without ever looking at the actual evidence. I actually started patients on psychiatric medication and told them that I was treating their chemical imbalance that could not be cured and that they would have for the rest of their life.

And I am deeply and profoundly sorry for making that mistake. 

Around 5 years ago, I finally woke up and actually looked at the data and realized that the chemical imbalance theory was a big pharma myth. I discovered that antidepressants are essentially no better than placebos and I came to understand how all psychiatric medications are neurotoxic

Looking back on all of the times I prescribed these neurotoxins and told innocent people they had a broken brain literally breaks my heart. I have cried many times and still grieve my participation in the systematic exploitation of human beings.

You see, I’m not afraid to admit that I make mistakes. And trust me, I have made many in my life.

It’s not about making mistakes, it’s about taking responsibility when you do.