The Brain is an Organ: Why We Need to Stop Shaming "Store-Bought" Serotonin

If you went to the doctor tomorrow and were told you had high blood pressure or high cholesterol, you likely wouldn’t feel a deep sense of moral failure. You wouldn’t think, “If I just tried harder, my blood pressure would go down,” or “Taking medication for my heart makes me weak.” You would likely take the medication to keep your organs functioning correctly.

Yet, when it comes to the brain—the most complex, energy-consuming organ in the human body—we suddenly abandon biology. We treat the brain as if it is separate from the body, existing on a spiritual plane where "willpower" should be enough to fix whatever problem exists.

It is time to kill this double standard. The brain is an organ. Just like a pancreas can struggle to produce insulin or a thyroid can become sluggish, the brain can struggle when neurotransmitters are not firing effectively.

My Personal Journey: The Zoloft Game-Changer

I am sharing this not just as a therapist, but as a human being who has walked this path. For a large portion of my life, I lived with severe anxiety and OCD. It wasn't just "worrying"; it was a constant loop of ruminating thoughts that I could not turn off, no matter how much I reasoned with myself.

Deciding to take medication wasn't a sign of defeat; it was a strategic move for my health. For me, Zoloft was a game-changer.

It didn't "fix" my life magically, and it didn't change who I was. What it did was turn down the volume on the ruminating thoughts. It gave me the ability to have better control over my thoughts, rather than allowing my thoughts to control me. It provided the stability I needed to actually do the deeper work.

The 40% Rule: Medication is a Tool, Not a Cure

There is a misconception that people take medication to take the "easy way out." The reality is quite the opposite. Medication is rarely the whole answer. I often tell clients that medication is about 40% of the equation.

That 40% is vital—it helps regulate your baseline mood so that you can function—but the other 60% requires sweat equity. You cannot medicate away the need for:

• Processing past trauma.

• Learning to be vulnerable.

• Setting and holding boundaries.

• Communicating how we feel.

• Developing strategies to handle life's stressors.

This is where therapy comes in. Therapy isn't just a place to vent; it is a classroom for your emotional health. It is where we learn skills, practice new strategies, and create game plans for attacking the issues we face. Medication clears the fog so you can see the road, but therapy teaches you how to drive the car.

The Paradox of Addiction and Fear

The stigma surrounding medication is so potent that it often keeps people from the very lifesaving treatment they need.

I have seen heartbreaking scenarios where individuals struggling with addiction refuse to go to inpatient treatment because they don't want to be "put on meds." They fear the stigma of clinical medication, yet their addictive thinking blinds them to the reality that they are already self-medicating—usually with substances that are far more dangerous, unregulated, and destructive than anything a psychiatrist would prescribe.

Tragically, loved ones often enable this fear. Family members, driven by their own internalized stigma, might discourage a relative from seeking psychiatric help because they "don't want to see them sedated" or "labeled." In doing so, they unintentionally gatekeep the only thing that might help their loved one regulate enough to engage in recovery.

Embracing "Store-Bought" Regulation

We have to become advocates for our own health. That means educating ourselves on how neurotransmitters work and accepting that some of us need a little help with our serotonin or dopamine levels to function at our best.

There is no glory in suffering because you are afraid of a pill. There is only lost time.

If you are struggling to keep your head above water, please know that asking for medical help is not a weakness. It is a way of honoring your body and your brain, ensuring they have the support they need so you can get back to the hard, beautiful work of living your life.

References

1. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). (2023). Mental Health Medications. This resource outlines how medications work to treat mental disorders and emphasizes that they are most effective when used in combination with psychotherapy.

2. American Psychological Association (APA). (2019). Understanding psychotherapy and how it works. Explains the role of therapy in building skills, resilience, and behavioral changes that medication alone cannot provide.

3. Corrigan, P. W., Druss, B. G., & Perlick, D. A. (2014). The Impact of Mental Illness Stigma on Seeking and Participating in Mental Health Care. Psychological Science in the Public Interest. This study highlights how systemic and internalized stigma prevents individuals from seeking necessary medical interventions.

4. Volkow, N. D. (2020). Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Discusses the biological basis of addiction and the concept of self-medication versus clinical treatment.

©Lisa King, LPC