Johann Hari, a renowned investigative journalist, was haunted by the increasing prevalence of depression and anxiety in Britain and the Western world. He had experienced pain and sought help from doctors but remained in deep pain.
Hari embarked on a forty-thousand-mile journey to interview leading experts about the causes and solutions of these issues. He discovered scientific evidence for nine different causes of depression and anxiety, leading to a unique set of solutions that offer hope.
Read about Chasing the Scream – Johann Hari with this detailed guide!
About the Author
Johann Hari is a journalist and author. Among other newspapers, he has contributed to the Guardian, Le Monde, and the New York Times. Over 70 million people have watched his TED presentations, and a wide spectrum of individuals, including Joe Rogan, Noam Chomsky, and Oprah, have applauded his work. London is where he resides.
Review
“A brilliant and insightful examination of the alienation and depression plaguing American society can be found in Lost Connections.” Clinton, Hillary Rodham
“This incredible book will transform your life if you have ever been depressed or felt lost. Do yourself a favor and read it right away. John Elton
“A book full of shocking findings about our pandemic of sadness has been written by the wise, inquisitive, and incredibly giving Hari. I really believe that the world will be a better place the more people read this book. Naomi Klein
“Much more than simply people who are depressed can benefit from this brave and inspirational book. We all possess the capacity to live more sensibly and healthily, as demonstrated by Hari. Huffington, Adrianna
Through a breathtaking global voyage, Johann Hari introduces us to remarkable individuals and ideas that will permanently alter our perception of depression. Everybody who is yearning for a life of purpose and connection should read this daring, poignant, smart, straightforward, and earth-shattering book. The author of THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES, Eve Ensler
“This is one of those exceptional books that you want all of your friends to read right away—the change in perspective is so dramatic and captivating that you question how you’ll be able to talk to them otherwise.” Brian Eno
Read about Irresistible – Adam Alter with this detailed guide!
“One of the most significant and insightful thinkers and social critics in the world.” The Pulitzer Prize winner Glenn Greenwald
“We need a lot more of Johann Hari, who is once again getting people to think differently about our mood, our minds, and our drug use.” Bill Maher
“Anxiety and depression are modern-day illnesses, but not for the reasons you may expect. A crucial diagnosis from one of today’s most skilled journalists using the English language. The author of WHAT’S THE MATTER WITH KANSAS, Thomas Frank
“Astonishing, really detailed… Part scientific study, where Hari sorts through the many viewpoints of scientists, psychiatrists, and individuals with depression, and part personal adventure, where he confronts the shortcomings in his own therapy…
Hari acknowledges the challenges of the work at hand and, by introducing fresh perspectives, offers “an alternative direction of travel” rather than guaranteed answers. A humane, practical approach to anxiety and depression… His book has a sense of urgency and rigor that, perhaps, will make the authorities pay notice. “Book of the Day, 17 January 2018” in the Guardian.
There is a lot of value in this book. Lost Connections is more about culture and the narratives we tell about mental illness than it is about science and mental health… The worth of this book comes from its efforts to alter the narratives we tell about people who are nervous and depressed and maybe assist some of the individuals who are experiencing these issues in altering their self-perceptions. Self-sufficient
This well-written and thoroughly researched book presents several thought-provoking points and makes a strong case against the use of pharmaceuticals to treat depression. Strongly advised. Review with stars, Library Journal
Read about Effortless – Greg McKeown with this detailed guide!
Summary
Johann Hari, the novelist, had been dealing with depression for years by the time he took his first antidepressant at the age of 18.
Even as a small child, Hari experienced his share of time spent crying uncontrollably by himself in a room. He realised that the symptoms he was experiencing were those of depression. He sought therapy from his doctor, who explained that prescription antidepressants can help address the chemical imbalance in the brain that causes depression.
Hari’s solution was to take Paxil, one of the several medications available that are categorised as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). These medications are supposed to increase serotonin levels to those of a “normal,” non-depressed individual.
Hari had a brief period of alleviation, similar to many patients taking SSRIs for the first time. He experienced another period of respite after his doctor increased the dosage, but this was followed by a return to depression and another dosage increase.
Hari could be certain that Paxil was making him gain weight and perspire more than normal. In his 30s, Hari finally had to confront the fact that, after taking Paxil for more than ten years, he was still depressed. After coming to this insight, he spent a considerable amount of time researching depression and pharmaceuticals, and the results were quite startling.
After talking to several academics, Hari concluded that there wasn’t much evidence to back up the idea that SSRIs are a good treatment for everyone with depression or that sadness is caused by a chemical imbalance.
Read about The 5 Second Rule Journal – Mel Robbins with this detailed guide!
Harvard professor Irving Kirsch started closely examining antidepressant studies in the mid-1990s. He discovered that pharmaceutical corporations frequently manipulated the clinical tests they published in order to have their drugs approved.
For instance, 245 people were evaluated during the Prozac clinical trial. However, only the 27 individuals who had good findings were reported in the published data. Regarding Paxil, one clinical test’s unfiltered data revealed that patients reacted better to a placebo than to the drug itself.
Kirsch has looked into the idea that the neurochemical serotonin and depression are related. According to him, the link was a “accident of history,” whereby researchers misunderstood their findings and pharmaceutical corporations used this false knowledge to market medications.
Joanna Moncrieff, a professor at the University of London, informed Hari that “there is no evidence that there is a chemical imbalance” between the brains of those who are sad and nervous.