"Across the world, Hari found social scientists who were uncovering evidence that depression and anxiety are not caused by a chemical imbalance in our brains. In fact, they [believe they] are largely caused by key problems with the way we live today. Hari's journey took him from a ... series of experiments in Baltimore, to an Amish community in Indiana, to an uprising in Berlin. Once he had uncovered [what he argues are] nine real causes of depression and anxiety, they led him to scientists who are discovering seven very different solutions"--Amazon.com.

Prologue: The apple ; Introduction: A mystery -- Part I: The crack in the old story. The wand ; Imbalance ; The grief exception ; The first flag on the moon -- Part II: Disconnection : nine causes of depression and anxiety. Picking up the flag (an introduction to Part Two) ; Cause one: Disconnection from meaningful work ; Cause two: Disconnection from other people ; Cause three: Disconnection from meaningful values ; Cause four: Disconnection from childhood trauma ; Cause five: Disconnection from status and respect ; Cause six: Disconnection from the natural world ; Cause seven: Disconnection from a hopeful or secure future ; Causes eight and nine: The real role of genes and brain changes -- Part III: Reconnection; or, A different kind of antidepressant. The cow ; We built this city ; Reconnection one: To other people ; Reconnection two: Social prescribing ; Reconnection three: To meaningful work ; Reconnection four: To meaningful values ; Reconnection five: Sympathetic joy, and overcoming addiction to the self ; Reconnection six: Acknowledging and overcoming childhood trauma ; Reconnection seven: Restoring the future -- Conclusion: Homecoming.