Why One Doctor Says Depression Treatment Needs a Reset

A former FDA officer argued the ‘chemical imbalance’ theory of depression lacks proof and antidepressants are overprescribed.

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For years, people have been told their sadness was the result of a chemical imbalance—a fixable flaw—like how Type 1 diabetes can be managed with insulin.

The “chemical imbalance” theory has shaped mainstream treatment for depression, fueling widespread prescriptions of antidepressants. Yet psychiatrist and former U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) medical officer Dr. Josef Witt-Doerring said the theory, popularized in the 1950s, has never been proven and lacks scientific backing.