“We are the loneliest society has ever been and it has been proven that being lonely is as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day or being acutely obese.”
Loneliness is just one of the life factors that journalist Johann Hari attributes to cause to the catastrophic rise in depression and anxiety in his new book, Lost Connections.
Hari took to the stage at Hay to challenge the claim that depression is purely a result of lowered serotonin levels. Instead, he argues, deeper underlying problems - in our relationships, living conditions and work - are the bigger, if not the main part, of an eventual depression diagnosis.
“If you are depressed, you are not broken. Depression is a sign that you are not getting your needs met. We need to stop insulting that signal. We need love, support and practical help to get those needs met."
See similar events at Hay Festival 2018 here.