--- title: "The Biology of Depression. | Denver Psychiatry Blog" description: "Depression is a common and potentially devastating illness. As reported in "Archives of General Psychiatry" in 2005, depression affects approximately 14.8 million or 6.7% of American adult..." lang: en json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": [ "MedicalBusiness", "MedicalOrganization", "LocalBusiness" ], "@id": "https://denverpsychiatry.com/#organization", "name": "Denver Psychiatry", "alternateName": "Denver Psychiatry - Dr. Steve Sarche", "description": "Denver Psychiatry is a private psychiatric practice founded by Dr. Steve Sarche in 2004, providing comprehensive mental health services for children, adolescents, and adults in the Denver metropolitan area.", "url": "https://denverpsychiatry.com", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://denverpsychiatry.com/logo.png" }, "image": "https://denverpsychiatry.com/og-image.png", "telephone": "+1-303-393-8808", "faxNumber": "+1-303-399-6069", "email": "drsteve@denverpsychiatry.com", "foundingDate": "2004", "founder": { "@id": "https://denverpsychiatry.com/#physician" }, "priceRange": "$$", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "720 S Colorado Blvd, Suite 910N", "addressLocality": "Denver", "addressRegion": "CO", "postalCode": "80246", "addressCountry": "US" }, "geo": { "@type": "GeoCoordinates", "latitude": 39.7086, "longitude": -104.9567 }, "areaServed": { "@type": "GeoCircle", "geoMidpoint": { "@type": "GeoCoordinates", "latitude": 39.7086, "longitude": -104.9567 }, "geoRadius": "50000" }, "medicalSpecialty": [ "Psychiatry", "Child and Adolescent Psychiatry", "Adult Psychiatry" ], "employee": [ { "@id": "https://denverpsychiatry.com/#physician" } ], "availableService": [ { "@type": "MedicalProcedure", "name": "Psychiatric Evaluation", "description": "Comprehensive initial evaluation for accurate diagnosis and treatment planning" }, { "@type": "MedicalProcedure", "name": "Medication Management", "description": "Expert prescription and monitoring of psychiatric medications" }, { "@type": "MedicalProcedure", "name": "Child & Adolescent Psychiatry", "description": "Age-appropriate psychiatric care for children and adolescents (ages 10+)" }, { "@type": "MedicalProcedure", "name": "Anxiety Treatment", "description": "Treatment for generalized anxiety, panic disorder, social anxiety, and PTSD" }, { "@type": "MedicalProcedure", "name": "Depression Treatment", "description": "Comprehensive treatment for major depression and mood disorders" }, { "@type": "MedicalProcedure", "name": "ADHD Treatment", "description": "Diagnosis and treatment of attention deficit disorders in all ages" }, { "@type": "MedicalProcedure", "name": "PTSD & Trauma Treatment", "description": "Compassionate, evidence-based care for post-traumatic stress and trauma-related conditions" } ], "openingHoursSpecification": { "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification", "dayOfWeek": [ "Monday", "Tuesday", "Wednesday", "Thursday", "Friday" ], "opens": "09:00", "closes": "17:00" }, "aggregateRating": { "@type": "AggregateRating", "ratingValue": "5", "reviewCount": "50" }, "sameAs": [] }, { "@type": [ "Physician", "Person" ], "@id": "https://denverpsychiatry.com/#physician", "name": "Dr. Steve Sarche, D.O.", "alternateName": "Steve Sarche", "description": "Dr. Steve Sarche is a board-certified psychiatrist specializing in child, adolescent, and adult psychiatry. 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For children and adolescents, this includes integrated meetings with parents. By the end of 1-2 visits, you'll have a clear clinical formulation and personalized treatment plan." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Does Denver Psychiatry treat both children and adults?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes, Dr. Steve Sarche is board certified in both general psychiatry and child & adolescent psychiatry. Denver Psychiatry provides comprehensive care for patients ages 10 and older, with age-appropriate treatment approaches." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What mental health conditions does Denver Psychiatry treat?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Denver Psychiatry treats a wide range of mental health conditions including anxiety disorders, depression, bipolar disorder, ADHD, PTSD, situational stress, behavioral problems, and relational difficulties. Dr. Sarche takes a comprehensive, holistic approach to diagnosis and treatment." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Does Denver Psychiatry offer non-medication treatments?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Absolutely. While medication can be an important part of treatment, Dr. Sarche also emphasizes non-medication modalities including sleep hygiene strategies, lifestyle modifications, stress reduction techniques, and therapeutic approaches. Treatment is tailored to each individual's needs and preferences." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What is the difference between a D.O. and an M.D. psychiatrist?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Osteopathic physicians (D.O.s) receive the same training as M.D.s but with additional focus on the interconnection between the body's systems. This holistic perspective informs Dr. Sarche's approach to mental health, considering how physical and emotional well-being influence each other." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How do I schedule an appointment with Denver Psychiatry?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "You can schedule an appointment by calling Denver Psychiatry at (303) 393-8808. The staff will help you find a convenient time and answer any questions about your first visit." } } ] }, { "@type": "Blog", "@id": "https://denverpsychiatry.com/#blog", "name": "Denver Psychiatry Mental Health Blog", "description": "Expert insights and articles on mental health topics from Dr. Steve Sarche, board-certified psychiatrist in Denver, Colorado.", "url": "https://denverpsychiatry.com/blog", "author": { "@id": "https://denverpsychiatry.com/#physician" }, "publisher": { "@id": "https://denverpsychiatry.com/#organization" } } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Article", "headline": "The Biology of Depression.", "description": "Depression is a common and potentially devastating illness. As reported in \"Archives of General Psychiatry\" in 2005, depression affects approximately 14.8 million or 6.7% of American adult...", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dr. Steve Sarche", "jobTitle": "Board Certified Psychiatrist" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Denver Psychiatry", "url": "https://denverpsychiatry.com" }, "datePublished": "2007-09-07T23:36:31+00:00", "mainEntityOfPage": { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://denverpsychiatry.com/article/the-biology-of-depression" } } ] --- [ Denver Psychiatry Dr. Steve Sarche, D.O. ](#home) [](tel:303-393-8808) [ Denver Psychiatry Dr. Steve Sarche, D.O. ](#home) [Home](#home) Services ### Conditions We Treat [ ADHD Treatment Child & adult ADHD specialist care ](/adhd)[ Anxiety Treatment Generalized anxiety, panic, social anxiety ](/anxiety-treatment)[ Depression Treatment Major depression, bipolar, mood disorders ](/depression-treatment)[ PTSD & Trauma Treatment Trauma recovery focused on full healing ](/ptsd-trauma-treatment) ### Specialty Care [ Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship-trained, ages 10 and up ](/child-adolescent-psychiatry)[ Performance Optimization Precision psychiatry for high performers ](/performance-optimization)[ Medication Management Expert prescription and monitoring ](#services) #### Talk to Dr. Sarche Call to schedule your initial evaluation [Call Now](tel:303-393-8808) About ### About Us [ Dr. Steve Sarche, D.O. 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Dr. Steve Sarche Board Certified Psychiatrist • Friday, September 7, 2007 • 3 min read Share: [](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fdrsteve.lovable.app%2Farticle%2Fthe-biology-of-depression)[](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdrsteve.lovable.app%2Farticle%2Fthe-biology-of-depression&text=The%20Biology%20of%20Depression.)[](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fdrsteve.lovable.app%2Farticle%2Fthe-biology-of-depression&title=The%20Biology%20of%20Depression.)[]() Depression is a common and potentially devastating illness. As reported in "Archives of General Psychiatry" in 2005, depression affects approximately 14.8 million or 6.7% of American adults. In 1996 the US Department of Health and Human Services noted that 1 out of 33 children and 1 out of 8 adolescents have clinical depression. According to the World Health Organization, untreated depression is the leading cause of disability in people aged 15­44 and is the cause of 2/3 of the suicides in the United States. Despite its prevalence in our society, depression is still not well accepted or understood by many people as a true medical illness. The purpose of this article is to give an overview of the biological basis for depression and help explain why depression is a medical illness that requires treatment. The human body likes to be in “homeostasis”. That term roughly means balance. Medical illness is often caused by an imbalance; for example in diabetes insulin levels are low which causes an imbalance in the affected person’s blood sugar. When the imbalance is severe enough, that person begins to suffer from the effects of it. In diabetes, high blood sugar due to low insulin can cause weakness, increased hunger or thirst and increased urination among other things. With depression, an imbalance in certain neuro­chemicals in the brain cause, among other problems, a depressed and sad feeling, loss of enjoyment, loss of interest, guilty and hopeless feelings, low energy, irritability, low motivation, poor concentration, decreased appetite, and suicidal thoughts. Everybody presents differently when they are depressed, with a different severity and array of symptoms. This is because, like with any illness, the severity is based on factors like genetic risk, health of the person, and stressors. The wide variety of symptoms of depression is due to the fact that many different areas of the brain rely on neuro-­chemicals for normal function; they are affected in different ways in each person. The main neuro­-chemicals in the brain implicated in depression include Serotonin, Norepinephrine and Dopamine. Together, these are referred to as the “Monoamines”. Monoamine levels are low in people with depression and this imbalance has led to the primary hypothesis for the cause of depression; the “Monoamine Hypothesis”. It is not entirely clear why the imbalance causes depression, but there are two reasons this remains to be the leading theory behind depression. First, studies that compare monoamine levels in depressed subjects versus non­depressed subjects consistently demonstrate lower levels of monoamines in the depressed subjects. Second, when a clinically depressed person takes a medication that raises the levels of the monoamines that person often feels better and the symptoms are mitigated or resolved; a balance in the monoamines is restored. Low levels of monoamines or low sensitivity to monoamines can be caused by many different insults or stressors. A list of common stressors includes genetic risk, certain medical illnesses, drug use, relational problems, history of abuse and/or neglect, and work/financial problems. As each person is unique, however, the list of possible stressors is infinite. As you can see, depression does have a strong physiologic basis. This is why, like in any medical illness, treatment for depression is important for recovery. Because of the nature of depression, the treatment is best when it involves therapy and support to address stressors as well as medications to restore balance. Share: [](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fdrsteve.lovable.app%2Farticle%2Fthe-biology-of-depression)[](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdrsteve.lovable.app%2Farticle%2Fthe-biology-of-depression&text=The%20Biology%20of%20Depression.)[](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fdrsteve.lovable.app%2Farticle%2Fthe-biology-of-depression&title=The%20Biology%20of%20Depression.)[]() ### Need Help With Your Mental Health? Dr. Steve Sarche provides compassionate psychiatric care for children, adolescents, and adults in the Denver area. [Call to Speak With Dr. Sarche](tel:303-393-8808) ### Get new articles from Dr. Sarche We'll only email you when Dr. Sarche publishes a new article. Unsubscribe anytime. Subscribe ## Related Articles [ Depression ### Back to Nature “And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.” John Muir, who has been called “The Father of our National Parks” As we prepare for the conclusion of another summer, it is important to r... Aug 15, 2019 4 min read ](/article/back-to-nature)[ Depression ### Suicide Prevention The week of September 5th through 11th is Suicide Prevention week. Suicide is a growing problem in the United States, making this week with a focus on awareness and prevention more and more important.... Sep 8, 2016 5 min read ](/article/suicide-prevention)[ Depression ### Goodbye To A True Genius In 1994, I was tired, frustrated, at times discouraged, but determined to get into medical school. I was in the midst of my second attempt. 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