There’s a common misconception that chemical imbalances cause mental disorders. This myth was perpetuated to give psychology and psychiatry more “seriousness” as an upcoming field, but this has stuck in popular media. As a result, “mental illnesses” were viewed as respectable diseases that could be attributed to biology. I’m saying this because unfortunately, Kendall perpetuates this idea when she says, ”For those who grow up in the church, prayer is more likely to be recommended than Prozac. And while there’s nothing wrong with finding prayer comforting, it can’t fix brain chemistry.”

This harmful idea can lead people to believe that biological factors always cause mental illness and can be fixed by medicine, overlooking the significant social influences on our mental health. Which is precisely what Kendall wants to highlight in this chapter😣 If you’re interested in learning more, I recommend “Mind Fixers” by Anne Harrington.