What does serotonin do for depression?

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Serotonin is a brain chemical which we all have in our brains. It has 3 actions in the brain:

1. It gives us self-confidence, a feeling of safety and security.
2. It causes us to feel sleepy.
3. It increases our appetites.

The part of the brain where it does each of these 3 things is a different part of the brain from the part where the other 2 things occur. Thus, for example, increasing serotonin in the part of the brain where self-confidence is will increase your self-confidence, but not your sleepiness. Unfortunately, we have no medications to increase only the serotonin in one part of the brain. This explains why medications to increase serotonin in the brain can also cause increased appetite and sleepiness.

Medications which increase serotonin in the brain (SSRI's such as citalopram, escitalopram, fluoxetine, paroxetine, and sertraline and SNRI's such as venlafaxine and duloxetine) give us more self-confidence, and a feeling of safety and security.

By the way, serotonin also exists in our gastrointestinal tracts. In this location, it stimulates digestion. This is why such medications can cause gastrointestinal upset. But they can also help constipation.

First answer by Mattbeckwith. Last edit by Mattbeckwith. Contributor trust: 131 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 19 [recommend question]