The modern-day medical paradigm regarding depression is that you have a problem producing serotonin in your brain. That is to say that you have a chemical imbalance that will respond to medications that help increase the amount of serotonin in your brain. This will alleviate your depression and make you feel normal again. This of course is the dogma, but is it accurate? The answer is, maybe but not for the reasons you think. It is now well understood by brain researchers that depression is heavily linked to loneliness. Loneliness is a lethal disease that will kill you faster than alcoholism, cigarette smoking or obesity. You're in control of your choices but you have to know the truth.