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In this week’s episode of MOHIVATE, Dr. Mohi Sarawgee explores serotonin — the neurotransmitter and hormone of calm.
Not the molecule of fireworks and euphoria, but the quiet rhythm that keeps your mood steady beneath the noise.

She unpacks what serotonin really is, where it’s made, and how it shapes everything from mood and sleep to gut health and resilience. From the vagus nerve and the raphe nuclei to the role of light, tryptophan, and the microbiome, this episode dives deep into the real science behind what we often call the “happy hormone” — and what neuroscientists know as one of the brain’s most vital messengers.

Discover what shapes your inner chemistry and how to support serotonin naturally, featuring insights from neuroscience, psychology, and everyday life — plus a few smiles along the way.

Because understanding calm isn’t about clichés.
It’s about chemistry.

References for Reading:

1. Yano JM, Yu K, Donaldson GP, et al. (2015). Indigenous bacteria from the gut microbiota regulate host serotonin biosynthesis. Cell, 161(2): 264–276.
   https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2015.02.047
2. Young SN. (2007). How to increase serotonin in the human brain without drugs. Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, 32(6): 394–399.
3. The Lancet Psychiatry. (2015). Depression and the human gut microbiome. The Lancet Psychiatry, 2(4): 284.
4. Park BJ, Tsunetsugu Y, Kasetani T, et al. (2010). The physiological effects of Shinrin-yoku (forest bathing): evidence from field experiments in 24 forests across Japan. Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine, 15(1): 18–26.

Just a gentle reminder: this episode is for information, education, and inspiration only. It’s not a substitute for your doctor’s advice. For any personal health concerns, always seek guidance from your doctor.

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In this episode of MOHIvate, Dr Mohi Sarawgee unpacks two of the most overused — and misunderstood — psychological buzzwords: narcissism and gaslighting — words we throw around far too easily.

From Greek myths to Freud’s theories, and from modern psychiatry to everyday relationships, she explores where these words came from, what they truly mean, and why using them lightly can blur our understanding of real human behaviour.

We also explore the crucial difference between narcissism as a human trait and Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD)as a clinical condition — because while one can bruise egos, the other can deeply wound relationships.

Through stories, warmth, and science, this episode is a gentle reminder that real self-love always leaves room for someone else — and that sometimes, coming home to yourself begins with seeing clearly again.

Because real health, like real love, always begins with awareness and compassion.

💬 If You Need Support

If anything in this episode resonates and you’d like to talk to someone, please reach out — you’re not alone.

🌍 International
Befrienders Worldwide – Global directory of emotional support helplines.
www.befrienders.org

🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Samaritans – Call 116 123 (free, 24/7). samaritans.org
Mind – Call 0300 123 3393 or text 86463. mind.org.uk
NHS Urgent Mental Health Helplines – nhs.uk/mental-health

🇺🇸 United States
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline – Call or text 988 (24/7, free). 988lifeline.org
NAMI HelpLine – Call 1-800-950-NAMI (6264). nami.org/help

🇮🇳 India
AASRA – Call 91-9820466726 (24/7). aasra.info
iCALL – Call +91 9152987821, Mon–Sat 10am–8pm. icallhelpline.org

🇦🇺 Australia
Lifeline – Call 13 11 14 (24/7). lifeline.org.au

🇨🇦 Canada
988 Suicide Crisis Helpline – Call or text 988 (24/7). 988lifeline.org

🇸🇬 Singapore
Samaritans of Singapore (SOS) – Call 1-767 (24/7). sos.org.sg

References & Further Reading

• Merriam-Webster (2022). Word of the Year: Gaslighting. https://www.merriam-webster.com
  
  
• Sweet, P. L. (2019). The Sociology of Gaslighting. https://doi.org/10.1177/0003122419874843
  
  
• Abramson, K. (2014). Turning Up the Lights on Gaslighting. https://doi.org/10.1111/phpe.12074
  
  
• Freud, S. (1914). On Narcissism: An Introduction. https://doi.org/10.1037/11390-001
  
  
• American Psychiatric Association. (2013). DSM-5. https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/practice/dsm
  
  
• Neff, K. D. (2011). Self-Compassion. https://self-compassion.org/book/
  
  
• Brown, B. (2010). The Gifts of Imperfection. https://brenebrown.com/b

Just a gentle reminder: this episode is for information, education, and inspiration only. It’s not a substitute for your doctor’s advice. For any personal health concerns, always seek guidance from your doctor.

Send us a text

Lab results in your inbox? Breathe. In this episode of MOHIvate, Dr Mohi Sarawgee makes sense of medical tests—why they aren’t crystal balls, what they’re good at, where they mislead, and why your story matters most.

She shares real examples, the screenings that save lives, the simple rule that keeps care kind, and the one key question to ask before any test: Will this change what happens next?

Citations :

South Korea thyroid overdiagnosis
• NEJM: Korea's Thyroid-Cancer “Epidemic” — Screening and Overdiagnosis

https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMp1409841

• The Lancet: "Overdiagnosis and screening for thyroid cancer in Korea"

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(14)62242-X/fulltext

PCOS and insulin resistance
• PMC: "Markers of insulin resistance in Polycystic ovary syndrome"

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8984569/

• BMC Ovarian Research: "Insulin resistance in polycystic ovary syndrome across various tissues"

https://ovarianresearch.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13048-022-01091-0

Just a gentle reminder: this episode is for information, education, and inspiration only. It’s not a substitute for your doctor’s advice. For any personal health concerns, always seek guidance from your doctor.