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Disrupting the gut microbiome can be a desirable outcome. There is a link between the biome and mental health[0], with experiments even transplanting faeces to introduce "healthier" flora.[1]

Shrinks are sometimes prescribing probiotics for anxiety conditions.

[0] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5641835/

[1] https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/reading-between-the-...

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I think you meant to say psychologists.

I'm not sure what you were getting at with this correction, but at least in most states in the US, psychologists don't prescribe -- they're not MDs. I suppose probiotics are available over the counter so psychologists could recommend that a patient take them, but if it's "prescribing" in the sense of "writing a prescription," psychiatrists would be the ones to do it.

I was meaning shrink is derogatory for a mental health professional.

Shrink is not derogatory, it's colloquial. Eg "I'm going to see my shrink today". Like calling a general practitioner "doc", as opposed to quack.

I use it because I can never remember the difference between psychologists and psychiatrists.

I think you meant to say psychiatrists.

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