I knew I’d get to this topic eventually, but a recent bad medical take on social media disrupted my content calendar. I am going to talk about selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs for short. These are medications primarily used to treat depression, but can also be used to treat other mental health diagnoses like anxiety.
The exact quote doesn’t matter—it was the kind of sensationalistic take that the author knew was misleading but posted anyway. It was designed to spark controversy and increase engagement, which is gold in the influencer world.
But it reminded me of a problem I’ve been wrestling with: I’ve noticed a tendency in faith-based (and secular) discussions about SSRIs to put forth similar misleading information. I don’t think it’s always intentional, but these takes range from technically correct but clinically irrelevant to downright harmful. As both a pharmacist and a believer, I would like to address a few of these myths and offer you a more accurate—and grace-filled—way to think about mental health medication.
Why Misinformation About SSRIs Hurts the Church
Before we dive into the specifics, let’s acknowledge what’s really at stake here. When we spread inaccurate information about mental health treatment—even with good intentions—we’re not just debating pharmaceutical facts. We’re potentially adding guilt and worry to people who are already struggling. That’s not the gospel message of hope and healing we’re called to share.
Yes, we can argue that medications like SSRIs are overprescribed (I personally believe that they are), and there are a decent percentage of people who just want to take the pill and not have to wrestle through the things that may have brought them to this. But there are also people struggling so much to get through the day that it is having negative long-term consequences on their lives and their families. They need grace and truth, not more bricks in their backpacks. Telling half truths, even unintentionally, in order to lead them to the decision you think is best is not the true help people need.
Myth #1: “We Don’t Know How SSRIs Work, So They’re Questionable”
The Truth About Medical Mystery
This statement is technically true. We know how SSRIs work in animal brain tissue, but we don’t have a way to measure if they are truly increasing serotonin in the human brain. But here’s what these arguments leave out: we don’t know exactly how a lot medications work.
Many of my patients have multiple sclerosis, and when I counsel them about MS medications, I often have to say, “We don’t know exactly how this works, but here’s what we see it doing…” The same goes for countless other treatments for countless other disease states
Yes, with MS drugs we have some objective measures to track progress, but we’re still figuring out the “how.” This happens with new medications and medications that have been around for decades. Sometimes we eventually crack the code; sometimes we’re still waiting.
If we disqualified every medication based on incomplete understanding of its mechanism, we’d have to throw out half the pharmacy. That doesn’t seem like wisdom—it seems like an impossible standard we don’t apply anywhere else in medicine.
Myth #2: “The Chemical Imbalance Theory Is Just Marketing”
When Pharmaceutical Marketing Gets Complicated
This one’s also true—depression as a simple “chemical imbalance” has never been proven. Pharmaceutical companies rightfully get flak for making it sound like established fact when it’s really a working theory.
Is their marketing a bit sketchy? Sure. But here’s the thing: all marketing is designed to make you want the product. Or, in the case of medication, remove any emotional barriers you may have against taking it. How effective would a soda commercial be if it said, “We’re not as good as Coca-Cola, but we’re hoping you won’t notice”?
I know we want pharmaceutical manufacturers to be more altruistic than the company that makes your deodorant, but they’re businesses trying to make money. Whether that should be the case is a whole different conversation—and definitely one worth having.
Scientists might prove this at some point. Or they might completely disprove it. The working theory for the cause of migraine that I was taught in pharmacy school has since been disproven. That is the uncomfortable but true part of medical treatment: we are always learning, and therefore always changing our approach.
Myth #3: “SSRIs Are Structurally Similar to [Insert Scary Drug Here]”
When Chemistry Gets Weaponized
This argument falls squarely in my “irrelevant and unhelpful” category. Chemical structures can be nearly identical, yet one compound works while its mirror image sits there doing absolutely nothing. Change one tiny chain on a molecule and you might get a completely different effect.
It’s like saying you shouldn’t eat table salt because it contains chlorine—the same element used in bleach. Technically true, chemically irrelevant.
I want to believe the best about people who use this argument, but it’s not scientifically sound reasoning for avoiding a treatment.
Myth #4: “There Are No Objective Measures for Depression”
The Limits of Medical Testing
True again—there is no blood test or scan that can diagnose depression. The only way to determine how depressed (or anxious) someone is and how well the treatment is working is to ask them. But let’s think about what this actually means. There are no objective measures for migraines, either. Or chronic pain. (Sometimes pain corresponds to something we can see on a scan, but often it doesn’t.) A few decades ago, there weren’t objective measures for multiple sclerosis.
Just because we can’t measure something with a blood test doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist or that doctors shouldn’t treat it. If we applied this standard consistently, we’d stop treating a lot of very real conditions.
I think people who make this argument are often sincere—SSRIs do have side effects, so patients should approach treatment decisions carefully. But we need to wield this reasoning carefully, because it can unintentionally invalidate very real suffering.
Myth #5: “SSRI Effects Are Just Placebo”
When Mind-Body Connection Gets Complicated
Yes, the placebo effect may be responsible for some of the actions of SSRIs. But guess what? The same is true for blood pressure medication. Studies have also shown that patient attitudes about a treatment can affect the outcome.
When people think a pill will help, it often does help. That doesn’t necessarily mean the medication isn’t working—it means we don’t fully understand the connection between our thoughts and our bodies.
Our Creator put significant stock in our thoughts throughout Scripture (Philippians 4:8, Matthew 5:21-22, Matthew 5: 27-28). Our thoughts matter to God, so I don’t think it’s too crazy to believe our thoughts and attitudes affect our physical health. The placebo effect might actually demonstrate how fearfully and wonderfully God made us.
Myth #6: “SSRI Studies Are Flawed Because of Side Effects”
The Double-Edged Sword of Informed Consent
The reasoning goes like this: Researches warned patients about side effects during drug trials. So if they experienced side effects, they knew they had the real drug (not placebo). This made them more likely to believe the medication was working.
I understand this logic, but there’s also something called the nocebo effect—when believing you’ll have side effects makes you more likely to experience them. Honestly, I’ve seen more of this in my career than placebo effects, and it makes counseling about medications tricky. You want to inform people so they can watch for problems, but you don’t want to sabotage treatment before it even starts. So while this criticism of SSRI studies has some merit, it’s not the smoking gun that proves these medications don’t work.
A Balanced Christian Approach to Mental Health Medication
I’m not advocating that everyone should take SSRIs. People with mild to moderate depression often do as well or better with lifestyle changes and counseling. And while I think it’s irresponsible to always say someone who is depressed is sinning, we shouldn’t advocate a “bandaid” approach of taking a pill without exploring the need for repentance and sanctification in a believer’s life. SSRIs can also have significant side effects and can be difficult to discontinue. These are legitimate concerns that should factor into any treatment decision.
But I am tired of people using bad medical takes as clickbait. I’m weary of misleading information—even when unintentional—that heaps guilt and worry onto people who are already carrying heavy burdens.
What the Church Can Do Better
As believers, we’re called to bear one another’s burdens, not add to them. Spreading medical misinformation—even with good intentions—is not helping. We’re potentially standing between struggling people and treatments that could offer genuine relief.
These medications have been a gift to many people, including faithful Christians. Yes, lifestyle interventions should be explored and embraced more fully than they often are. Yes, we should ask hard questions about our culture’s approach to mental health. But we can do all of that while still acknowledging that sometimes, for some people, medication is part of God’s provision for healing.
The Bottom Line
God works through doctors, counselors, medications, prayer, community, and countless other means to bring healing to our broken world. Our job isn’t to limit how he chooses to work—it’s to steward the gifts he’s given us (including medical knowledge) with wisdom and compassion.
Let’s commit to being people who speak truth in love, even when—especially when—that truth is more complex than a social media soundbite allows.
Disclaimer: This post is for educational purposes only and should not be a substitute for medical advice. Never make any changes to your medication or treatment without first consulting with a healthcare professional.
If you’re interested in a more thorough exploration of medications like SSRIs from a Christian perspective, I found this book helpful. I have also written a post on Christian responses to anxiety and how God meets us in our struggles.
I’d love to connect with you beyond the blog. You can find me on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook, where I share more encouragement for women navigating faith and health. You can also sign up for my monthly newsletter.
Prefer to watch? I made a video covering these same points:
You say: “there are a decent percentage of people who just want to take the pill and not have to wrestle through the things that may have brought them to this”
Who decides when someone has not “wrestled” enough? This is not the same for every person. Some people can’t wrestle enough without the medication.
Also, part of the problem is that SSRI’s are ALWAYS looked at as a band-aid, and not a medication. Some people can’t stop taking their SSRI’s in the same way a diabetic can’t stop taking their insulin. The problem is more about the attitudes toward mental illness. I submit that people with mental illness, while being treated better, are still largely discriminated against as being “weak” or “useless.”
The church’s problem is with the very existence of mental health. Because it is so focused on the body being resurrected after death, the struggle is often seen as “struggling for Jesus.” Until the church accepts that our bodies are good, they will treat mental health issues in a less than helpful way.
And as someone with Generalized Anxiety Disorder, I wish people would STOP QUOTING PHILIPPIANS 4:8. I do not wake up and choose to be anxious. If spouting a Bible verse helped me, I wouldn’t struggle as I do. I would also submit that Christians who have never experienced mental health struggles are not best equipped to guide others in them.
I was mostly speaking regarding my experience as a pharmacist in the US where people are bombarded with pharmaceutical commercials on TV every night. When I did medication education it was clear that some people did not understand their risks and limits. I appreciate your feedback, because I could have made that clearer.