We frequently discuss pain, depression, anxiety, addiction and the ways our medical industrial complex sells sickness and risky interventions as simple solutions to “fix you!”I recently listened to Johann Hari discussing his book Lost Connections ( on the Ezra Klein show).There are some that disagree with his analysis of societal influences on mental health, though I found many of his arguments to be compelling.I was struck by his perceptive discussion of our modern culture, driven by external rewards, which is making us more unhappy.There is no question that adults in our society we are getting less happy.Additionally, our rates of anxiety, depression, and chronic pain continue to rise.A key causative factor to depression and anxiety is loneliness. In a generation we have gone from having 5 close friends, i.e. the ones you can talk to honestly and vulnerably about life, to many having only one!

At this same time we are losing connection with our natural world by spending less time outside and unconnected to devices.A stunning example in the UK is that the average childs spends less time outdoors than an inmate in a maximum security prison.

As physical therapists we have witnessed the rise of chronic pain, anxiety, depression, and addiction.We are being called to be proactive in the healing of our fellow human beings.Our message has to counteract the negative stories that are patients are broken and in need of new parts, more chemicals, or the removal of offending tissues.As we continue to walk with our clients, we need to walk with them outside and couple movement with a discussion to help to illuminate their unmet needs.These needs often include loneliness and the loss of a community of close friends. Authentic conversations, mutual trust, and being human has never been needed more.