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In milder forms of depression, counseling and psychotherapy can be
used, usually with a high success rate. More extreme forms of depression
can warrant the prescription of antidepressant drugs, such as Prozac,
but there are pros and cons to this approach. In the most extreme cases,
where the sufferer may be at risk of committing suicide, hospitalisation
in a psychiatric unit may be necessary, although this is rare.
Depression and diet
Anxiety, stress, insomnia and, most importantly, depression, have all
been linked to diet. To function properly, hormones rely on balanced
nutrition. Therefore, dietary choice plays an important role in determining
mood. Food has a direct influence on the production of neuro-transmitters,
the chemical messengers that transmit impulses from one nerve to another
in the brain. These endorphins, the body's opiates, can deliver natural
highs if triggered properly.
In short what we eat can determine whether we get out of bed as Dr Jekyll
or Mr Hyde by influencing the production of two specific endorphins,
serotonin and noradrenaline.
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