Exposing the Depression Lie EVERYONE Still Believes - Dr Joanna Moncrieff #45

Oct 8, 2025

Dr. Joanna Moncrieff is a practicing psychiatrist and a Professor of Critical and Social Psychiatry at University College London, known for her critical stance on the serotonin theory of depression. In this discussion, she debunks the chemical imbalance theory, exploring why antidepressants may not work as claimed and how expectations can shape perceived outcomes. Joanna emphasizes the need to demedicalize depression, advocating for a holistic understanding that focuses on behavior and social support, while cautioning against pharmaceutical influence on mental health narratives.

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ANECDOTE

Relief Then Disappointment From The Drug Story

Joanna recounts a man who felt relief being told he had a chemical imbalance and tried antidepressants.
He felt briefly better, then worse when life problems persisted and the pill 'didn't work'.

INSIGHT

Small Drug Benefit; Big Role For Natural Recovery

Meta-analyses show the additional effect of antidepressants over placebo is very small, around 10–15%.
Natural recovery and life changes often coincide with starting medication and explain much improvement.

ADVICE

Watch For Long-Term Harms

Recognize that long-term effects and harms of antidepressants have emerged after widespread use and limited short trials.
Monitor for dependency, withdrawal, sexual dysfunction, emotional numbing, and report adverse effects to clinicians.

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Dr Joanna Moncrieff is a pracitsing psychiatrist and Professor of Critical and Social Psychiatry at University College London. In 2022 Moncrieff conducted the first systematic umbrella review of the evidence for the serotonin "chemical imbalance" theory of depression, the findings of which shocked many.

Here we do a deep dive into this research, as well as the effectiveness of anti-depressants, whether depression is within a person's control, and how pharmaceutical companies manipulate the narrative.Joanna's website: www.joannamoncrieff.comFollow Joanna: https://x.com/joannamoncrieffCHAPTERS:00:00 Preface00:26 Is the chemical imbalance theory true?05:51 Do anti-depressants work?12:29 Psychological causes of recovery18:56 We don’t really know what these chemicals are doing24:16 Big Pharma’s propaganda push28:09 Concerns about SSRIs30:03 Is depression a disease?41:16 The case against anti-depressants48:59 These drugs disempower people54:30 Do people ‘have depression’ or do they ‘get depressed’?57:19 Depression should be demedicalised1:02:12 Why are we so unhappy?1:05:54 This narrative affects other mental health conditions1:08:57 What about severe, life-threatening depression?1:11:46 Is it possible to get out of depression by taking agency?1:20:03 Where does Gen Z go from here?1:23:29 Why do you do what you do?My Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elliotbewick/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@elliotbewickX: https://x.com/elliotbewickABOUT THE NEXT GENERATION: In a world saturated by social media and marked by skyrocketing rates of anxiety, depression, and ADHD among Gen Z, young people are growing up in a landscape of chaos and contradiction. While protests swell in city streets and activists hurl soup at famous artworks to demand climate action, a quieter crisis unfolds within - the mental and emotional battles faced by a generation trying to make sense of it all.The Next Generation is hosted by 20-year-old Elliot Bewick, offering a raw and honest look at the world through the eyes of those living in it. Bringing together insight from professionals and young people on the ground, this podcast isn’t here to complain or chase clout. It’s here to bend the arc of the modern world towards solutions, truth and a love for the beautiful adventure of life itself.