Most of us have hundreds, if not thousands, of friends we are connected with online.

But how many of those friends would you be able to call on if there was an emergency?

That's the question British-born journalist turned author, Johann Hari, wants us to ask ourselves.

Johann went on a trip around the world to find out why in this age of online connection, we are experiencing such high rates of depression and anxiety.



After battling through his own mental health journey, he spoke with several of the world’s leading scientists to find out if there are more than just biological reasons behind mental illness.



"The causes of depression and anxiety are largely, not entirely, but largely in the way we’re living today," Johann told Hack

In his book Lost Connections, Johann says the reasons for depression and anxiety are not simply biological, and that medication alone is not enough to help fight the rising rates of mental illness.

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He says there are nine key causes of depression and anxiety



Two of those are biological and seven are in the way we live.

"A lot of the things we have to do to deal with the depression and anxiety crisis are deeper social changes which we have to band together and fight for.

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"We have a society that is becoming ever lonelier, ever more convinced that life is about money and status, ever more disconnected from the natural world, ever more financially insecure for most people, and where we think that life is about screaming at each other through screens."

A society like the one described will no doubt have a depression and anxiety crisis, Johann said.

Many of us have been made to feel as though we are in a competition to be the best, even against people we barely know. We structure our lives around a highlight reel to be posted on Instagram, and when someone else’s looks better, we feel unworthy in comparison - even if we don’t know them.



In growing an online presence, we’ve lost our real-world presence

Our society is not one that "meets our deeper needs or is compatible with our human nature", Johann said.



"The more you think about money and status and how you look to other people, the more you become depressed and anxious."



To learn that it’s not just a biological matter that contributes to mental illness, that there are several social aspects that affect us deeply, was challenging for Johann.



And while some have said his message is dangerous to those who do take medication for mental illness, he stressed he doesn’t want anyone to stop taking their medicine cold turkey, or if they feel it works for them.



Instead, he said "what would be really dangerous is to not have the conversation about what’s actually causing depression and anxiety".



Johann lists seven ways to "reconnect" and fight against depression and anxiety, one of which is to do things that give you intrinsic values compared with extrinsic values.



Basically, do things that are meaningful to you, and will help you be a happier person.



If going to the gym and smashing out 45 minutes of cardio makes you happier than going to drinks after work, do it! The small things that mean the most to us as individuals have become lost in our need to be the best for other people.



You won’t look back at your life and remember the things you bought or how many likes you got on a photo, but you will remember the moments that made you feel a deep connection with yourself and others.

