When we think about World Mental Health Day. We often see it in brand slogans, referring to 'awareness' and 'breaking the stigma.' Important, yes, but I can’t help thinking we sometimes miss another important question: what about the people behind the slogans? The teams pulling the late nights, chasing briefs, juggling several pitches at once. What about their brains?
Because here is the uncomfortable truth: our mood and motivation are not just vague 'feelings.' They’re chemical, biological, utterly physical. Dopamine is the one that keeps us chasing goals, serotonin steadies the ship, endorphins give us that lightness when things get heavy, and GABA (the underdog no one talks about) is the handbrake when the mental engine’s overheating. When all of these are humming in harmony, we thrive. But throw them off balance? It’s like pulling key musicians out of an orchestra … you’re left with noise instead of music!
Now, if you’ve ever worked in adland, you’ll know how easy it is for that orchestra to descend into chaos. Dopamine, which is meant to help us focus on long-term rewards, gets hijacked by the endless ping of emails or message notifications. Serotonin, which loves rhythm and predictability, suffers when deadlines change by the hour. Endorphins? They barely get a chance to surface on those desk-heavy days, meeting after meeting, call after call. And GABA … well, try telling your brain to switch off when your Teams / Slack / [insert platform here] never does.
It’s not just stressful; it’s costly. People burn out. Collaboration dwindles. Good ideas fizzle and wilt. What’s left is a team running on empty, producing work that feels more like survival than creativity.
So, what can we do about it? How can we use what we know about our own brains to not only explain the problem but offer a solution? I believe that we need to understand the challenges people in our industry face through a neuroscientific lens if we’re to meaningfully prevent and tackle poor mental health. In doing so, we can attempt to reshape the way work itself supports the brain.
Take dopamine. Instead of letting it run wild on quick hits, channel it properly. Break projects into clear milestones with achievable goals. Actually recognise effort, not just the “big win” at the end of a pitch or a campaign. Celebrate progress and acknowledge team members.
Or serotonin. It thrives on routine and stability, and we can offer that in surprisingly small ways: dedicated meeting-free windows, rituals like a shared morning check-in, even setting clear expectations about when “off” really means off. It may not be glamorous, but it makes our brains calmer.
Endorphins are easier to boost than most people realise. No, you don’t need to run a marathon before you start work on a Monday or even join an office spin class. You need laughter. A funny moment in a meeting. A walking brainstorm instead of another sit-down. Even shared music in the background can change the atmosphere. Don’t think of these as distractions but defence strategies against stress.
And then there’s GABA (or ‘gamma-aminobutyric acid’ if you want to impress your colleagues), the lesser known and often underappreciated calming neurotransmitter in our brains. It craves quiet. Not just the absence of noise, but mental space. A phone put face down. Simply going on ‘do not disturb’ mode for a while. A breathing exercise between meetings. Create a culture that doesn’t reward the illusion of productivity AKA 'busyness theatre.'
Now, why is this so important in the context of our creative industries? Because the stakes are high. Healthy neurochemistry doesn’t just keep us mentally strong; it fuels the very things agencies pride themselves on: originality, empathy, resilience. A frazzled brain narrows down, becomes rigid and stagnant. Whereas a balanced brain plays, explores, connects dots others can’t see. This begs the question, which kind of team do you think produces the campaigns that really land?
So maybe this World Mental Health Day, instead of focusing on which campaigns are performing best, we should be asking harder questions. Are we designing workplaces that align with the way our brains actually work? Are we giving people the right conditions to create, not just the deadlines to deliver?
Because for all its complexity, neuroscience offers a surprisingly straightforward message: support dopamine, serotonin, endorphins and GABA, and people flourish. Neglect them, and you don’t just get unhappy staff. You get burnout and ultimately poorer ideas.
I don’t think the solution is radical. It’s acknowledging that our brains are not bottomless wells of creativity but fragile, chemical ecosystems that need care. It’s culture. It’s choice.