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4.22 AVERAGE
4.22 AVERAGE
challenging
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
There isn't necessarily anything revelatory about the realizations laid out in this book, but it does a nice job of gathering many of less popular pathologies about depression into one place, and giving moving examples along with them. While I'm not sure I agree with all the specific policy changes that Hari gives, I understand and appreciate the need to give something concrete to leave the reader with. I also could have gone without the lengthy section on explaining why anti-depressants aren't little miracle pills, I feel like a lot of people already are figuring that out, but, again it served his point of looking for other sources to deal with depression and anxiety.
The main take-aways I had after this book are that depression is a legitimate response to the world in which we live, and the circumstances so many people find themselves in, not an abnormality; pain needs to be experienced and followed through on to figure out what is causing it; we need the safety to put down the walls that have protected our growing egos when they begin to restrict rather than protect; the idea of community as your home has been replaced with material home comfort (think of all the home design shows), and stuff, and in essence left most of the western world homeless. In this same breath, relationships with people and nature has been replaced with things and status, and only by bringing people together who refuse the junk advertising narratives and find a bond bigger than themselves can that be combatted to the point where it loses much of it's affect.
The book definitely serves as a springboard for meditating on your life, and in that way I would certainly recommend it.
The main take-aways I had after this book are that depression is a legitimate response to the world in which we live, and the circumstances so many people find themselves in, not an abnormality; pain needs to be experienced and followed through on to figure out what is causing it; we need the safety to put down the walls that have protected our growing egos when they begin to restrict rather than protect; the idea of community as your home has been replaced with material home comfort (think of all the home design shows), and stuff, and in essence left most of the western world homeless. In this same breath, relationships with people and nature has been replaced with things and status, and only by bringing people together who refuse the junk advertising narratives and find a bond bigger than themselves can that be combatted to the point where it loses much of it's affect.
The book definitely serves as a springboard for meditating on your life, and in that way I would certainly recommend it.
A friend recommended this to me after we had talked about (mostly my) depression. I'm glad to have read it. It confirms a lot of the things I have been learning in the last year-and-a-half or so as I journey out of my depression. With one caveat (which is that I disagree strongly with the chapter about LSD; personally, I take a strong stance against the use of LSD and other psychedelic drugs) I recommend this to other people who are struggling with mental health issues and looking for real, long term solutions. However, I think I would struggle to recommend it to my friends who I know are struggling with depression. A lot of this stuff is stuff that you have to discover on your own, or else it feels like a slap in the face. It's true that you have to make a change in order for anything to change, but it sucks to be told that.
The structure of the book is very clear and simple, thus it is easier to remember the 9 disconnections which have caused depression. The author uses a lot of examples with thorough research to support his arguments. To make the book even more refreshing is his suggestions to reconnect ourselves to the things matter to us, the others, good values, etc. A simple and good read.
Riveting and a worthwhile read with a good balance between social and medical science.
"This amazing book will change your life." - Elton John
That's on the front cover, and it's true. This book has given me a lot to think about. I'm not entirely sure what I'll do next, but it is a strong encouragement to find some meaningful volunteer work, to cultivate closer and more vulnerable relationships with the people in my life, and to seek out more meaningful work. I'm not sure what all that looks like, but I can see re-reading this just to think things through again.
That's on the front cover, and it's true. This book has given me a lot to think about. I'm not entirely sure what I'll do next, but it is a strong encouragement to find some meaningful volunteer work, to cultivate closer and more vulnerable relationships with the people in my life, and to seek out more meaningful work. I'm not sure what all that looks like, but I can see re-reading this just to think things through again.
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced