LOST CONNECTIONS by Johann Hari

LOST CONNECTIONS by Johann Hari was just published this week and deals, as the subtitle notes, with “Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression – and the Unexpected Solutions.”  This was actually a very surprising and quite interesting book to read because the author builds an argument against more commonly accepted causes of depression such as serotonin levels and genetics.  Hari argues instead that depression and anxiety are caused by society and by our increasing disconnections from meaningful work, from each other, from nature, etc.  I found myself wanting to learn more, especially because Hari does not have a medical degree (which he acknowledges), but does speak with authority due to his own experience with depression. He supplements his personal observations with thousands of hours of interviews and numerous studies; these are cited in the wide-ranging notes, in part a reaction to past questions in the UK about his sources. Hari describes in detail, for example, the research regarding loneliness that University of Chicago professor John Cacioppo and others have conducted. Coincidentally, the UK Prime Minister last week appointed a Minister of Loneliness which is estimated to impact over nine million Brits. In 2010, AARP projected the corresponding American figure to be almost 43 million.

In his conclusion, Hari writes, “We need to stop trying to muffle or silence or pathologize that pain. Instead, we need to listen to it, and honor it. It is only … when we can see its true causes, can we begin to overcome it.” Calling LOST CONNECTIONS a “sure-to-be-controversial book,” Kirkus says, “Hari delivers a weighty, well-supported, persuasive argument against treating depression pharmaceutically.”  I can think of several groups who will be curious to read more about his claims: our Social Work Department, Health Services, various teachers, and, of course, students and their parents.