The Real Reason You’re Depressed—And It’s Not Just In Your Head

Why understanding the roots of depression can change your life

For decades, the dominant story about depression has been simple: it’s a chemical imbalance, a broken brain, a matter for doctors and pills. But if you’ve ever felt the ache of loneliness, the emptiness of meaningless work, or the pain of being unseen, you know there’s more to the story. Johann Hari’s Lost Connections challenges everything we thought we knew about mental health. He weaves together the latest research, powerful personal stories, and interviews with leading scientists to reveal a profound truth: depression and anxiety are not just medical conditions—they are signals, messengers from a world that has lost its way.

Hari introduces us to nine lost connections—the vital threads that, when broken, quietly undermine our happiness: meaningful work, close relationships, a hopeful future, community, nature, respect, values, childhood security, and even our sense of control. Through vivid examples, he shows how people in societies with strong social bonds and purpose suffer less, while those trapped in isolation and ‘junk values’ (like relentless consumerism) are more prone to despair.



But this isn’t just a story of what’s wrong—it’s a roadmap to hope. Hari shares stories of communities that healed together, workplaces transformed by giving people autonomy, and individuals who found purpose in service and creativity. The science backs him up: social prescribing, time in nature, and meaningful projects are as powerful as many medications, and often come without side effects.



If you’re tired of being told your pain is just a personal flaw, this book—and this blog—offer a new way to see your story. Depression is not a malfunction. It’s a message. And the first step to healing is to listen.

Read on to discover how you can begin to restore your lost connections and reclaim your life’s meaning—one relationship, one purpose, one moment at a time.