Chemical Imbalance

Chemical imbalance, in psychological terms, refers to variations in the monoamine levels (neurotransmitters that include serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine) of the brain. Neurotransmitters are responsible for transmitting messages between the body and the brain and when these levels are at less than optimum levels it can cause physical and emotional difficulties such as depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and other psychological disorders. Often times a chemical imbalance is cited as the justification for the prescription of neuropharmaceuticals such as antidepressants, neuroleptics, antipsychotics, and anxiolytics.