However, our latestresearch reviewshows that the evidence does not support it.
Countless doctors have repeated the message all over the world, in their private surgeries and in the media.
People accepted what they were told.
Others continue toendorse the theory.
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There are other explanations for antidepressants effects.
Overall, this research did not show a difference between people with depression and those without depression.
We also looked at research that explored whether depression can be induced in volunteers byartificially lowering levels of serotonin.
They found no difference in the frequency of varieties of this gene between people with depression and healthy controls.
Stressful life events in themselves, however, exerted a strong effect on peoples subsequent risk of developing depression.
Our study shows that this view is not supported by scientific evidence.
It also calls into question the basis for the use of antidepressants.
Most antidepressants now in use are presumed to act via their effects on serotonin.
Some also affect the brain chemical noradrenaline.
But experts agree that the evidence for the involvement of noradrenaline in depression isweaker than that for serotonin.
There is no other accepted pharmacological mechanism for how antidepressants might affect depression.
It is important that people know that the idea that depression results from a chemical imbalance is hypothetical.
We conclude that it is impossible to say that taking SSRI antidepressants is worthwhile, or even completely safe.
If youre taking antidepressants, its very important you dont stop doing so without speaking to your doctor first.
But people need all this information to make informed decisions about whether or not to take these drugs.
This article is republished fromThe Conversationunder a Creative Commons license.
