Detached and Depressed: Rediscovering Meaningful Connection
Depression . It pops up in the news, especially when we lose celebrities like Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain . For a few days or a few weeks, there will be caring and compassionate conversation around their losses and the causal factors surrounding their suicides. News anchors, reporters, and experts are disclosing explanations around mental illness, past and present struggles with addiction, and various relational, financial, professional and personal life stress factors. All of these are important. They should not be minimized. At the same time, as statistics illustrate a dramatic increase in depression and suicide rates since 1999, it is also important to consider environmental and social influences. With our reliance and dependence upon electronic devices dramatically increasing for communication, entertainment, and social interaction, are we becoming more disengaged from one another - more detached from human connection - and thus more isolated and depressed? Many exper