Lost Connections

Lost Connections explains why depression affects so many people and that improving our relationships, not taking medication, is the way to beat our mental health problems.

I know this one is a lot to swallow. And honestly, I would take it with a grain of salt. While the studies Hari presents are scientifically accurate, the conclusions he comes to may be only one side of this story. But I believe hearing this side is important.

Hari was diagnosed with depression in his 20’s and began taking antidepressants. After ten years of his doctor upping his dosage to give him relief, he came to the max dosage. Still depressed, he realized he needed to try something else. Hari began his own extensive research on depression and was shocked by what he found.

Modern society has told us for years that depression is the cause of a chemical imbalance. But have we ever questioned where this idea began? After talking to researchers, Hari learned that there is little evidence that a chemical imbalance causes depression, or that standard antidepressants work.

In the ’90s, a Harvard professor named Irving Kirsch looked into antidepressant research. He discovered many antidepressants on the market were no more effective than placebos. He was the first of many to look into the questionable efficacy behind antidepressants.

Most of these drugs are classified as serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI’s). The belief is that they increase serotonin levels in depressed people to normal levels. Hari found that the idea that serotonin helps people with depression actually has little evidence to support it. This claim was likely just pushed by pharmaceutical companies.

So what is the cause of depression then? Hari’s theory is that there are nine causes or disconnections, and most of them have to do with difficult life circumstances. Here they are: Disconnection from meaningful work. Those with the least control and authority in the workplace are the most likely to have depression. We need to feel like what we do has meaning. Disconnect from others. Loneliness and no sense of belonging are big indicators of depression. Disconnect from meaningful values. Our consumer-driven society has left us detached from worthwhile values, which in turn contributes to depression. Childhood trauma. This 1998 study found the more traumatic a person’s childhood is, the more likely they are to have depression and anxiety. Disconnect from status. In areas with larger gaps in wealth, such as the US, there are higher rates in depression. Disconnect from nature. People who live in greener neighborhoods feel less stress and despair than those who don’t. Disconnect from a secure and hopeful future. Native Americans on government-controlled reservations had staggeringly high suicide rates. In reservations where they had…