Yet just by mentioning the (very widely held) notion that these problems do have such a basis
The issue isn't that you mentioned the notion that the problem might be due to faulty neuroendocrine function but that you assume that talking can't do anything about that.
I'm apparently espousing dualism. It's very strange.
If you limit talk therapy to the goal of changing the mind and ignore hardware than you lose effectiveness.
Granted it's impossible to get good feedback to do targeted interventions on the biochemical level but the body is still vitally important.
But even given SSRI isn't targeted intervention on the biochemical level. According to a recent article:
It is currently impossible to measure exactly how the brain is releasing and using serotonin, the researchers write, because there is no safe way to measure it in a living human brain.
Instead, scientists must rely on measuring evidence about levels of serotonin that the brain has already metabolized, and by extrapolating from studies using animals.
The best available evidence appears to show that there is more serotonin being released and used during depressive episodes, not less, the authors say.
SSRI might also work by reducing inflammation. They also hit targets outside the brain. Depression correlates with inflammatory cytokines. There are efforts underway to focus on diagnosing depression with blood tests and if those tests come the prime measuring stick the official definition of depression might even include inflamation.
For a site extremely focused on fixing bad thinking patterns, I've noticed a bizarre lack of discussion here. Considering the high correlation between intelligence and mental illness, you'd think it would be a bigger topic.
I personally suffer from Generalized Anxiety Disorder and a very tame panic disorder. Most of this is focused on financial and academic things, but I will also get panicky about social interaction, responsibilities, and things that happened in the past that seriously shouldn't bother me. I have an almost amusing response to anxiety that is basically my brain panicking and telling me to go hide under my desk.
I know lukeprog and Alicorn managed to fight off a good deal of their issues in this area and wrote up how, but I don't think enough has been done. They mostly dealt with depression. What about rational schizophrenics and phobics and bipolar people? It's difficult to find anxiety advice that goes beyond "do yoga while watching the sunrise!" Pop psych isn't very helpful. I think LessWrong could be. What's mental illness but a wrongness in the head?
Mental illness seems to be worse to intelligent people than your typical biases, honestly. Hiding under my desk is even less useful than, say, appealing to authority during an argument. At least the latter has the potential to be useful. I know it's limiting me, and starting cycles of avoidance, and so much more. And my mental illness isn't even that bad! Trying to be rational and successful when schizophrenic sounds like a Sisyphusian nightmare.
I'm not fighting my difficulties nearly well enough to feel qualified to author my own posts. Hearing from people who are managing is more likely to help. If nothing else, maybe a Rational Support Group would be a lot of fun.