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mikeypwest 's review for:
Lost Connections: Why You're Depressed and How to Find Hope
by Johann Hari
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.