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4.22 AVERAGE
4.22 AVERAGE
Listened on audio was nice to hear the narration as it was the author. I liked his writing about his personal experiences and the examples he gave about individuals then broke it down. Really compelling and insightful, could have been edited down a bit but overall a must read if you think this topic applies to you. It solidified a lot of things I already kind of knew but was unsure of.
Lost Connections gave me much food for thought and inspires me to look into different aspects of my life and where changes might be necessary.
I don't suffer from depression, so I had no intention of reading this book until a close friend insisted that I do so. I'm really glad I did -- not only does the book also touch on anxiety (a subject close to my heart), but provides a welcome critique of American/Western society and how its many, many faults contribute to our collectively poor mental health. So much of this is common sense; of course people who are isolated, traumatized, and/or living in poverty will struggle with their mental health! Hari's suggestions for "reconnection" jive with my own personal values (especially around being connection with other people and spending time in nature), so it was hard not to like that aspect of the book.
That said, I *do* think that Hari oversimplifies things quite a bit. In spite of the fact that I face few of the economic or circumstantial challenges he describes, I struggle with anxiety and panic. Ironically, the only thing that made a lasting, positive change in my symptoms was an SSRI, which I've happily taken for more almost 5 years. While Hari admits that SSRIs work for a small minority of people, he's fairly dismissive of the biological causes of mental illness. He's also ignoring the fact that plenty of people who live full, meaningful lives and have their needs met STILL struggle with anxiety and depression. I don't dispute that things like cooperative business models and Universal Basic Income would significantly reduce depression and anxiety in the US, but it's not a panacea.
In spite of these critiques, I'd recommend this book to just about anyone. I'm hoping that those who read it will be motivated to collectively organize and demand better working conditions, economic equality, UBI, and so on. The more people who can embrace these values, the better!
That said, I *do* think that Hari oversimplifies things quite a bit. In spite of the fact that I face few of the economic or circumstantial challenges he describes, I struggle with anxiety and panic. Ironically, the only thing that made a lasting, positive change in my symptoms was an SSRI, which I've happily taken for more almost 5 years. While Hari admits that SSRIs work for a small minority of people, he's fairly dismissive of the biological causes of mental illness. He's also ignoring the fact that plenty of people who live full, meaningful lives and have their needs met STILL struggle with anxiety and depression. I don't dispute that things like cooperative business models and Universal Basic Income would significantly reduce depression and anxiety in the US, but it's not a panacea.
In spite of these critiques, I'd recommend this book to just about anyone. I'm hoping that those who read it will be motivated to collectively organize and demand better working conditions, economic equality, UBI, and so on. The more people who can embrace these values, the better!
The author does a good job of telling this story in a narrative way which keeps you drawn in, however it is to be noted that this author is no doctor. While he seems well researched and makes many valid points about the state of mental health in the western world, I personally feel like he extrapolates the data too far in some instances. Overall a thought provoking book though, just be weary of how truly scientific it is.
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
I read this book because I wanted to understand why depression and anxiety have grown so prevalent over the last 50 years, and some of the "unconventional" approaches to combating it that doesnt include popping pills. This book makes all kinds of sense and can potentially help a lot of people who feel they have to live with this feeling forever.
This is an important message not only for those suffering with major depression and general anxiety. It’s simple but it gains from its simplicity by clarity and heartfelt writing. I would suggest it being read alongside Stoicism, existentialism, Buddhist practices and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to expand in its premises.
The one flaw in this book is the mild fatphobia in the chapter on the connection between depression and weight gain. I say mild because he doesn't blame fat people for being fat, he says it's not their fault, but he does assume that being fat is automatically a bad thing. Anyway. With that caveat out of the way, this book is fantastic and goes deep on the structural, societal and social triggers and causes of depression and anxiety that more and more of us suffer from every year. It's not a self help book or a quick fix, but it can help us understand what we're living with and how to find meaning in our lives, and that's profound.