system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: If disorders like depression and anxiety are chemical imbalances, why are non-chemical treatments like talk therapy effective?
gpt
Let's say that the chemical imbalance the person is suffering from is a lack of a brain chemical called X. If the problem is that your brain is not creating enough X, there are two solutions:

* Supply additional X artificially (e.g. by taking a pill)

* Get your brain to create more X

If you can get your brain to create more X by talking with a therapist, playing music, going for walks, cuddling a puppy, or balancing a spoon on your nose, those are all legitimate treatment options.