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4.22 AVERAGE
4.22 AVERAGE
Lugares comunes y obviedades. El autor no entiende lo que es una causa. La sociedad si afecta la depresión, pero evidentemente eso se traduce en cambios químicos en el cerebro. Si tenía unas buenas propuestas para mejorar la depresión, pero luego se puso medio político el asunto y perdió mucha fuerza. No es un libro científico, es más un ensayo sobre las causas sociales de la depresión que se apoya con una que otra cita científica. Si no tienes ni idea de la depresión pues ta bien.
I was very eager to read this book, having read Hari's previous book, Chasing the Scream last year and finding it one of the most compelling and thought provoking books I've ever read. I don't happen to suffer from depression, but the book claims to offer an entirely new way about thinking about the causes and treatment of depression, in a similar manner to the way Chasing the Scream discussed the war on drugs. I was not disappointed, and I expect I'll be thinking about this book for a long time, as well.
This book seems to be aimed at people who are suffering from depression, but it's applicability is so much wider. I found myself thinking about other books I've read about the opioid crisis, the dismantling of our middle class, and drug addiction while reading this. I also kept thinking that many of the issues Hari discusses could be addressed by a universal basic income, and lo and behold near the end of the book, he examines that very issue.
This book has many implications for various areas of social policy, and I highly recommend it to anyone. The more people who read this book, the better off we'll be. This is not to say Hari has all the answers, but if all policy makers discussed and examined all the issues raised in this book, we could go a long way toward solving many of our current crises.
This book seems to be aimed at people who are suffering from depression, but it's applicability is so much wider. I found myself thinking about other books I've read about the opioid crisis, the dismantling of our middle class, and drug addiction while reading this. I also kept thinking that many of the issues Hari discusses could be addressed by a universal basic income, and lo and behold near the end of the book, he examines that very issue.
This book has many implications for various areas of social policy, and I highly recommend it to anyone. The more people who read this book, the better off we'll be. This is not to say Hari has all the answers, but if all policy makers discussed and examined all the issues raised in this book, we could go a long way toward solving many of our current crises.
I honestly didn't like the authors narration style, he was kind of annoying. I get that he was trying to make it more personable and relate his experiences with depression and anxiety to his readers', but he didn't feel relatable to me at all.
However, I think Hari does a good job at compiling numerous research and interviews (which he makes available to readers) about the causes of depression and anxiety. I felt that a lot of it made sense and there wasn't much brand new information for me, but he was able to deeply explore the causes / solutions and back them up with research and theories that I had previously no knowledge of. He makes the argument that the majority of depression and anxiety is caused by social / environmental factors not by the common narrative of a chemical imbalance in the brain. He's not saying though that biological factors aren’t a real cause, but instead that only biological factors actually affect a minority of people. By placing society and social factors as the main causes of these issues explains why more and more people today are struggling with depression and anxiety. It's not that every person has a brain chemistry issue, but rather that we are all living in a society that makes us sick. As for his solutions he states that not every single one will be applicable and there may be more he's missing, nor does he claim that he has all the answers. Instead he uses real life examples and interviews psychologists and scientists who are experts in this field.
In addition, Hari also explores how big pharma has been able to push antidepressants on the world's population despite having meager studies to prove their effectiveness at treating depression and their long term effects as well as having an array of side affects. The main reason they're so widespread is because they're highly profitable, and the pharmaceutical industry stays rich by just treating symptoms and keeping us sick rather than actually curing us. Because if they cure us (allowing us to stop taking the medication) then they stop being able to make money off of our illnesses.
What I took from this book is that we need a societal shift from an individualistic, consumerist, capitalistic one toward a collectivist, socialist one. A shift in values, morals, and how we interact with one another. People need their basic needs met, have more resources (such as education, healthcare), a sense of purpose and empowerment, to work less, and feel more connected with each other and with nature. This isn’t to say that these shifts will get rid of depression and anxiety completely, but they will greatly reduce it. Definitely recommend for anyone who has struggled with anxiety or depression, whether long term or short term.
However, I think Hari does a good job at compiling numerous research and interviews (which he makes available to readers) about the causes of depression and anxiety. I felt that a lot of it made sense and there wasn't much brand new information for me, but he was able to deeply explore the causes / solutions and back them up with research and theories that I had previously no knowledge of. He makes the argument that the majority of depression and anxiety is caused by social / environmental factors not by the common narrative of a chemical imbalance in the brain. He's not saying though that biological factors aren’t a real cause, but instead that only biological factors actually affect a minority of people. By placing society and social factors as the main causes of these issues explains why more and more people today are struggling with depression and anxiety. It's not that every person has a brain chemistry issue, but rather that we are all living in a society that makes us sick. As for his solutions he states that not every single one will be applicable and there may be more he's missing, nor does he claim that he has all the answers. Instead he uses real life examples and interviews psychologists and scientists who are experts in this field.
In addition, Hari also explores how big pharma has been able to push antidepressants on the world's population despite having meager studies to prove their effectiveness at treating depression and their long term effects as well as having an array of side affects. The main reason they're so widespread is because they're highly profitable, and the pharmaceutical industry stays rich by just treating symptoms and keeping us sick rather than actually curing us. Because if they cure us (allowing us to stop taking the medication) then they stop being able to make money off of our illnesses.
What I took from this book is that we need a societal shift from an individualistic, consumerist, capitalistic one toward a collectivist, socialist one. A shift in values, morals, and how we interact with one another. People need their basic needs met, have more resources (such as education, healthcare), a sense of purpose and empowerment, to work less, and feel more connected with each other and with nature. This isn’t to say that these shifts will get rid of depression and anxiety completely, but they will greatly reduce it. Definitely recommend for anyone who has struggled with anxiety or depression, whether long term or short term.
I have a lot of thoughts on this book so this is gonna be a long review! TLDR version is that as someone who works in mental health a fair amount of this wasn't a shocking revelation. But all the same I felt it was a powerfully relevant and important think-piece on the overreliance of the Western medical system on drugs and a solely chemical narrative for the epidemic levels of anxiety and depression we're seeing. I definitely gained a lot of new insights, background knowledge and an empowering, alternative mindset to looking at my own mental health.
---
A lot of my respect for this book comes from that fact Hari has to address his own personal assumptions about his own mental health in the course of writing it, and obviously struggles with this. As he says:
'Once you settle into a story about your pain, you are extremely reluctant to challenge it.'
But we do need to challenge it, Hari argues, because our current approach isn't working. People are getting sicker, diagnosis rates are going up, medication is becoming a long-term solution. And the biggest issue? The chemical in-balance narrative, lack of serotonin story, is, simply put, a 'lie', plugged by pharma companies. It's pretty shocking how concrete a conclusion this is from the scientists Hari talks to, but how it's still barely talked about. The answer for our sadness isn't locked in our brains. It's largely social, environmental and psychological.
Some of Hari's observations are fairly obvious - people in stressful situations experience depression. Western individualism has made people isolated and sad when we are naturally social creatures. Materialism isn't the way to happiness. Nature helps us put things into perspective. But it was interesting to read about how these common knowledge factors are backed by scientific studies, and on the whole I enjoyed the mirror structure and the consideration of how we've 'disconnected' and need to 'reconnect' to heal.
I loved that Michael Marmot got a mention (I was holding out for it), and wealth on a societal level was taken into account for society wide mental health facts. I also thought the consideration of work (and Hari's valuable and privilege-aware recognition that we can't expect everyone to quit their jobs instantly) was valuable as an oft overlooked factor. Easily the most powerful aspect of this read however is Hari's overall hypothesis - we're getting sick because of society, not because of our brains. And medication isn't the way to fix it.
“Eastern philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti explained: 'It is no measure of health to be well-adjusted to a sick society.'... You are not suffering from a chemical imbalance in your brain. You are suffering from a social and spiritual imbalance in how we live... it's not serotonin, it's society."
My complaints are relatively minor but worth flagging as to why this didn't get 5 stars. At times I felt Hari's narrative voice was a bit melodramatic, to the point of being slightly irritating. Shocking results aren't always that shocking, especially if you've spent the previous 5 pages building up to them. I also think (not that this is necessarily Hari's fault) this would have been an even more powerful read a decade ago. Although Hari presents it as revolutionary viewpoint at times, social prescribing and the biopsychosocial model are now largely accepted in many mental health discussions (certainly in mental health charities anyway). I’d have therefore liked some more recognition of how widely discussed a theory that is (Marx ideas of alienation etc). Nonetheless, I still highly recommend this for anyone interested in common mental health disorders and wants to appreciate the difficulties of the 'simply serotonin' narrative.
---
A lot of my respect for this book comes from that fact Hari has to address his own personal assumptions about his own mental health in the course of writing it, and obviously struggles with this. As he says:
'Once you settle into a story about your pain, you are extremely reluctant to challenge it.'
But we do need to challenge it, Hari argues, because our current approach isn't working. People are getting sicker, diagnosis rates are going up, medication is becoming a long-term solution. And the biggest issue? The chemical in-balance narrative, lack of serotonin story, is, simply put, a 'lie', plugged by pharma companies. It's pretty shocking how concrete a conclusion this is from the scientists Hari talks to, but how it's still barely talked about. The answer for our sadness isn't locked in our brains. It's largely social, environmental and psychological.
Some of Hari's observations are fairly obvious - people in stressful situations experience depression. Western individualism has made people isolated and sad when we are naturally social creatures. Materialism isn't the way to happiness. Nature helps us put things into perspective. But it was interesting to read about how these common knowledge factors are backed by scientific studies, and on the whole I enjoyed the mirror structure and the consideration of how we've 'disconnected' and need to 'reconnect' to heal.
I loved that Michael Marmot got a mention (I was holding out for it), and wealth on a societal level was taken into account for society wide mental health facts. I also thought the consideration of work (and Hari's valuable and privilege-aware recognition that we can't expect everyone to quit their jobs instantly) was valuable as an oft overlooked factor. Easily the most powerful aspect of this read however is Hari's overall hypothesis - we're getting sick because of society, not because of our brains. And medication isn't the way to fix it.
“Eastern philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti explained: 'It is no measure of health to be well-adjusted to a sick society.'... You are not suffering from a chemical imbalance in your brain. You are suffering from a social and spiritual imbalance in how we live... it's not serotonin, it's society."
My complaints are relatively minor but worth flagging as to why this didn't get 5 stars. At times I felt Hari's narrative voice was a bit melodramatic, to the point of being slightly irritating. Shocking results aren't always that shocking, especially if you've spent the previous 5 pages building up to them. I also think (not that this is necessarily Hari's fault) this would have been an even more powerful read a decade ago. Although Hari presents it as revolutionary viewpoint at times, social prescribing and the biopsychosocial model are now largely accepted in many mental health discussions (certainly in mental health charities anyway). I’d have therefore liked some more recognition of how widely discussed a theory that is (Marx ideas of alienation etc). Nonetheless, I still highly recommend this for anyone interested in common mental health disorders and wants to appreciate the difficulties of the 'simply serotonin' narrative.
This book is very interesting, but if you take away only one thing from this review, it should be that you should not trust the book unconditionally.
Hari delves into the sources and therapies for depression. The book gives an overview of the research into depression and potential therapies and medication. It is very critical of chemical antidepressants, favoring a more human-centric approach to therapy.
I found the book very interesting, but I have also read articles from a few people who take issue with the way the book portrays several aspects of depression. In a nutshell, everyone seems to agree that depression cannot be solved by chemical anti-depressants alone - where opinions differ is how much of a role they have, if at all. Hari is in the camp of "very few people, in very specific circumstances, benefit from chemical solutions, we need to do things radically differently." Others disagree. In any case, if you are currently taking antidepressants, do not abandon your medication without talking to your doctor! It will do more harm than good.
The critical voices (linked above) also take issue with the way Hari implies that the human-centric view of therapy is a fringe opinion in psychology - in fact, it is appearantly taught in classes alongside the chemical approach. Hari also appears to have gotten some basic facts on statistics and heritage wrong.
I'm going to go with four stars, deducting one star for the appearant factual mistakes and sometimes provably overblown claims. My conclusion would be: Read this book, but read it critically, and also read the dissent others have published, to get a (hopefully) more balanced view. I personally think that the book still has a contribution to make, as it gives a good introduction into some aspects of the current state of research. I am by no means an expert on the topic area, so I cannot say how much of the book is scientific consensus, and how much is not generally accepted or even generally rejected.
A last note: Do not use this book as an alternative to professional therapy. If you are already in therapy, discuss the topics with your therapist, but do not act on your own based solely on this book. Your therapist almost certainly knows more than Johann Hari about depression - listen to them (and if they argue for a purely chemical approach, try a different therapist if you disagree, but do not abandon therapy alltogether). Too much can go wrong if you try self-help without guidance during a serious depression.
Hari delves into the sources and therapies for depression. The book gives an overview of the research into depression and potential therapies and medication. It is very critical of chemical antidepressants, favoring a more human-centric approach to therapy.
I found the book very interesting, but I have also read articles from a few people who take issue with the way the book portrays several aspects of depression. In a nutshell, everyone seems to agree that depression cannot be solved by chemical anti-depressants alone - where opinions differ is how much of a role they have, if at all. Hari is in the camp of "very few people, in very specific circumstances, benefit from chemical solutions, we need to do things radically differently." Others disagree. In any case, if you are currently taking antidepressants, do not abandon your medication without talking to your doctor! It will do more harm than good.
The critical voices (linked above) also take issue with the way Hari implies that the human-centric view of therapy is a fringe opinion in psychology - in fact, it is appearantly taught in classes alongside the chemical approach. Hari also appears to have gotten some basic facts on statistics and heritage wrong.
I'm going to go with four stars, deducting one star for the appearant factual mistakes and sometimes provably overblown claims. My conclusion would be: Read this book, but read it critically, and also read the dissent others have published, to get a (hopefully) more balanced view. I personally think that the book still has a contribution to make, as it gives a good introduction into some aspects of the current state of research. I am by no means an expert on the topic area, so I cannot say how much of the book is scientific consensus, and how much is not generally accepted or even generally rejected.
A last note: Do not use this book as an alternative to professional therapy. If you are already in therapy, discuss the topics with your therapist, but do not act on your own based solely on this book. Your therapist almost certainly knows more than Johann Hari about depression - listen to them (and if they argue for a purely chemical approach, try a different therapist if you disagree, but do not abandon therapy alltogether). Too much can go wrong if you try self-help without guidance during a serious depression.
medium-paced
Lost Connections, ovvero “Connessioni perse”. Questo è il titolo originale di quello che probabilmente è il libro più rivoluzionario, che io abbia mia letto. Una lettura densa, che ti fa mancare la terra sotto i piedi. E ti fa mettere in dubbio tutto quello che hai sempre creduto in merito alla depressione e all’ansia.
Johann Hari è un giornalista, ma prima di questo, è una persona. Una persona che ha sofferto per buona parte della sua vita di depressione. Una persona che ha creduto, per buona parte della sua vita, a quello che gli hanno sempre detto rispetto a questo disturbo. Che qualcosa nel suo cervello non funzionava come avrebbe dovuto; che c’era qualcosa di sbagliato in lui, qualcosa che loro, i medici, i farmaci, gli psicofarmaci, avrebbero potuto risolvere. Come un guasto all’auto, come un pezzo da sostituire, come un errore, che non avrebbe dovuto esserci. Ma se nonostante tutto, nonostante i farmici, nonostante i consulti medici e le terapia, ti rendessi conto che sei ancora depresso? Cosa potresti fare a quel punto?
Johann Hari fa un inchiesta. Gira il mondo, parla con specialisti e gente comune; entra in contatto con realtà differenti, con mondi differenti. Ascolta le esperienze di persone provenienti da ogni angolo del pianeta; e scopre che persino una mucca può essere un “antidepressivo”.
“La fine del buio” non è un libro sovversivo, che si schiera contro la medicina occidentale. Nè Johann Hari è un complottaro, che denuncia le lobby farmaceutiche. Lui fa parte di quel mondo occidentale, e ha basato la sua visione del mondo su quella medicina. Ma ha imparato anche che a volte (molte volte) non è sufficiente un questionario, per fare una diagnosi; nè una manciata di pillole per guarire.
Johann Hari è un giornalista, ma prima di questo, è una persona. Una persona che ha sofferto per buona parte della sua vita di depressione. Una persona che ha creduto, per buona parte della sua vita, a quello che gli hanno sempre detto rispetto a questo disturbo. Che qualcosa nel suo cervello non funzionava come avrebbe dovuto; che c’era qualcosa di sbagliato in lui, qualcosa che loro, i medici, i farmaci, gli psicofarmaci, avrebbero potuto risolvere. Come un guasto all’auto, come un pezzo da sostituire, come un errore, che non avrebbe dovuto esserci. Ma se nonostante tutto, nonostante i farmici, nonostante i consulti medici e le terapia, ti rendessi conto che sei ancora depresso? Cosa potresti fare a quel punto?
Johann Hari fa un inchiesta. Gira il mondo, parla con specialisti e gente comune; entra in contatto con realtà differenti, con mondi differenti. Ascolta le esperienze di persone provenienti da ogni angolo del pianeta; e scopre che persino una mucca può essere un “antidepressivo”.
“La fine del buio” non è un libro sovversivo, che si schiera contro la medicina occidentale. Nè Johann Hari è un complottaro, che denuncia le lobby farmaceutiche. Lui fa parte di quel mondo occidentale, e ha basato la sua visione del mondo su quella medicina. Ma ha imparato anche che a volte (molte volte) non è sufficiente un questionario, per fare una diagnosi; nè una manciata di pillole per guarire.
Good insights, confirming what I've thought for a while. Not a lot in terms of what to do about it; but that's going to be an individual thing, so makes sense to only give broad strokes.
dark
informative
reflective
medium-paced
This was a well-researched, eye-opening book on the contributing factors of depression and anxiety. I'm not one who has really experienced clinical depression or anxiety, but this was a fascinating and uplifting read. I'd recommend this to anyone and everyone.
The title "Lost Connections" refers to the necessary connections we need in our life to help maintain a good state of mental health: connections to other people, connections to nature, connections to our past (trauma), connections to our future, connections to meaningful values, etc.
The author spends some time arguing against the mainstream thought of how people get depressed, how they are treated. A disturbing look into the history of treating depression is explored as well with Big Pharma looming in the background.
Rather than depression being a chemical only cause, the author argues that these disconnections to the things I listed above cause depression or contribute to it. He also presents solutions on how to "reconnect".
This is a very well written book and you could tell this was a labor of love for the author as he himself has suffered from depression. He goes to lengths to make things personable and engaging. Some of the studies referenced in this book were SO interesting and paradigm shifting (at least from my perspective). I could not put this down (or hit pause) several times.
One of my favorite parts was about the research on the plasticities of the brain. Basically, the author presents an argument that disconnection from the things above can alter our brains chemically and neurologically, rather than the mainstream notion of depression "hitting" someone like a random strike of lightning and causing an imbalance.
There are a few solutions that the author suggests that I found impractical or I imagined would be hard to implement. For example, he argues in a chapter for universal income. He presents his case well in some cases, but doesn't look at both sides sometimes. Just a minor gripe I guess.
This made me look at people and life in a whole new way. Many uplifting stories are shared. All in all, it has inspired me to be a better, more understanding person. Highly recommended.
The title "Lost Connections" refers to the necessary connections we need in our life to help maintain a good state of mental health: connections to other people, connections to nature, connections to our past (trauma), connections to our future, connections to meaningful values, etc.
The author spends some time arguing against the mainstream thought of how people get depressed, how they are treated. A disturbing look into the history of treating depression is explored as well with Big Pharma looming in the background.
Rather than depression being a chemical only cause, the author argues that these disconnections to the things I listed above cause depression or contribute to it. He also presents solutions on how to "reconnect".
This is a very well written book and you could tell this was a labor of love for the author as he himself has suffered from depression. He goes to lengths to make things personable and engaging. Some of the studies referenced in this book were SO interesting and paradigm shifting (at least from my perspective). I could not put this down (or hit pause) several times.
One of my favorite parts was about the research on the plasticities of the brain. Basically, the author presents an argument that disconnection from the things above can alter our brains chemically and neurologically, rather than the mainstream notion of depression "hitting" someone like a random strike of lightning and causing an imbalance.
There are a few solutions that the author suggests that I found impractical or I imagined would be hard to implement. For example, he argues in a chapter for universal income. He presents his case well in some cases, but doesn't look at both sides sometimes. Just a minor gripe I guess.
This made me look at people and life in a whole new way. Many uplifting stories are shared. All in all, it has inspired me to be a better, more understanding person. Highly recommended.