Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression – and the Unexpected Solutions

In this fascinating book, journalist Johann Hari uncovers what he calls the false 100-billion dollar story that Big Pharma wants us to believe – that “depression is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain and that the primary solution for most people is a chemical antidepressant.” He then takes us on a highly personal journey of discovery that humans are not machines with broken parts, but animals whose needs for a community are not being met. Feeling distressed is not a malfunction, but a necessary signal. He encourages us not to muffle the signal but to let it guide us away from the things that are draining us and towards the things that truly meet our needs. I (James) particularly like Hari’s line: “Depression is itself a form of grief – for all the connections we need, but don’t have.” Hari shows us the specific types of connections we need and how to find them. This book was recommended to us by a therapist we highly respect and it did not disappoint.