Here are some of the differences between dopamin and serotonin deficiency, and what that type of Depression is like.

Depression can be caused by a lack of the neurotranmitter serotonin in the brain.
AND/OR it can be caused by a lack of the neurotranmitter dopamine in the brain.
(there is another neurotransmitter that I haven't read as much on, but here is information on serotonin and dopamine)

The type of depressive-feeling caused by a lack of dopamine in the brain is a very low energy depression, with a complete lack of motivation, (and feel depressed of course). You may feel frustrated that you don't have a bit of energy. If it is only dopamine that you are short on, and not serotonin, then you probably won't right at that moment have the cravings for starchy foods, milk or cheese, or bananas that people with low serotonin have. Instead, you may crave stimulating things like coffee or cocoa when your dopamine is particularly low (both of these increase dopamine short term) Also, if there is no problem with serotonin, only a lack of dopamine, then you probably won't feel much anxiety right then. You probably also won't have trouble sleeping, but you will have trouble getting going in the morning. Note: if you over-increase your dopamine so that it's too high, you'll feel angry at things that wouldn't normally make you feel angry.

The type of depressive-feeling caused by a lack of serotonin in the brain is not really a lack of energy (although you won't be high energy, just middle of the road), but rather a haunting feeling that there isn't any comfort in the world that is possible for you - It can be a very fearful feeling. Quite different from lack of dopamine. If it is only serotonin that is your insufficiency, and not dopamine, then you probably WILL have trouble sleeping, and may crave starchy foods, milk or cheese, or bananas - foods that increase serotonin short term.

Some people have both problems at the same hour of any given day, and some have only one of them, and some people have one of these problems at some times of day and another one at a different time of day.

Here is what I do (so far):

I tend to get low-serotonin Depression later afternoons. For a discussion on how I used high-tryptophan foods to temporarily increase serotonin (tryptophan increases serotonin), see this link: (note, 5htp did NOT work for me, but does for some people; I had to use foods with real tryptophan)
//www.curezone.org/forums/m.asp?f=27&i=3311


I also tend to get low-dopamine depression, but usually at a different time and not as often. When I get low-dopamine depression, I have intense craving for strong coffee - yet this isn't simple "caffeine addiction" since it isn't consistent from one day to the next. For example, on days when I'm not low-dopamine, I don't need coffee or any other caffeine at all, despite the fact that I may have had it for days before that. So it's not caffein addiction that is causing this craving in me. (I don't use caffeine every day in high enough quantity to get to that addiction, thankfully haven't had to, only use it on some days)

Vitamin B6: this B vitamin increases your dopamine short-term. I bought some of it by itself and am trying it at the times that I feel low-dopamine, to try to avoid having to use coffee or other caffeine. I do also take a multiple B complex, but the amount of B6 needed to increase dopamine is too much to get out of a simple B complex. It doesn't cost much, thankfully. So far it does help, but I'm still tweaking how much to take and trying to figure out how long it takes (half hour? 2 hours?) so I can convince myself not to reach for the coffee when I'm suffering from low dopamine...just a little while longer and that B6 will kick in, I can then tell myself.