Boosting Your Mood: Examining the Effectiveness of Serotonin on Mental Health

It is no secret that mental health and happiness are closely interconnected. The environment one is in, the family they have been raised by and the daily experiences people get all play a big role in their overall well-being. Yet, scientists have long been trying to understand how the balance of hormones in our bodies helps maintain this equilibrium. One such hormone, serotonin, has been particularly interesting for researchers. This has led to a great debate over whether treatments for depression specifically focus on boosting serotonin in order to make individuals feel better.

The “happy hormone”, as serotonin is often called, can be found in the blood, brain and intestines of humans. It plays a significant role in maintaining a proper mood, regulating sleep patterns and helping with digestion. When serotonin levels drop too low, it can lead to feelings of despondency and sadness. On the other hand, when the serotonin is balanced it can heighten happiness, energy and alertness.

Therefore, it goes without saying that proper serotonin levels are paramount to good mental health. Scientists have theorized then that treating depression with drugs would be easier when increased serotonin levels were implemented in the human body. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the most commonly used drugs to treat depression or anxiety. These medications work by blocking the proteins responsible for breaking down serotonin back into our bodies, thus making more available in thesynapse to be utilized in the treatment of depression or anxiety. By indirectly increasing the concentrations of serotonin in the brain, SSRIs can elevate mood and initiate anindividual's recovery from depressive episodes.

However, this idea comes with some controversy. While some believe that increasing serotonin levels is the key to combating depression symptoms, others think it is only a partial solution. Some scientists challenge this concept, reasoning that depression has to do with much more than increased serotonin levels. They propose than environmental factors, traumatic experiences, genetics andpsychological issues are the main causes of depression, rather than low serotonin levels. In reference to psychological issues, proponents cite evidence stating that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) creates equal improvements to those achieved with serotonin reuptake inhibitors.Moreover, some claim that any therapeutic success achieved by SSRIs are only temporary and do not necessarily reflect real improvements in a person’s emotional health.

As such, the debate is ongoing as to whether SSRI treatments that focus on increasing serotonin levels in the brain actually work in the long term. While these drugs may improvechemical imbalances in the brain, they are not necessarily successful in treating underlying issues associated with mental illness. This begs the question: what is the most effective way to combat depression or anxiety? The answer may vary depending on individual circumstance, but one thing is certain: boosting serotonin levels in the body can only provide a partial fix and may not even be necessary for creating real improvements in mental health.