Explaining Depression in Clinical Settings: Shortcomings and Dangers of Simplified Analogies

In clinical settings, explanatory analogies of depression are frequently used to communicate etiology. This article reviews two common explanatory analogies: the chemical imbalance analogy and the diabetes analogy. This article examines evidence that these analogies are inaccurate and potentially harmful. It is argued that health professionals should avoid such analogies in clinical practice. Some implications of this argument are explored.