In recent years, it has become evident that loneliness is one of the most pressing public health challenges of our time — so much so that the US Surgeon General has labeled it an epidemic with far reaching consequences. The pain of isolation doesn't merely gnaw at our sense of belonging: it undermines our physical wellbeing, erodes our mental health, and places an invisible strain on communities. In this climate of ever widening personal and cultural divides, the collective call for deeper human bonds feels both urgent and universal. 

Our guest on this episode is Julia Hotz, a journalist and passionate advocate for social prescribing, the practice of directing people to community activities and social support networks as part of their health care. She is the author of the book The Connection Cure: The Prescriptive Power of Movement, Nature, Art, Service and Belonging (2024), in which she argues that whether it's group classes, volunteer opportunities, or simply forging new friendships, true well-being is as much about our social fabric as it is about physical health. 

Over the course of our conversation, we discuss the psychology of isolation and loneliness, the tangible health effects of loneliness, the historical societal forces that drive humans increasingly apart, the role of social media in connecting and separating us, and how patients and physicians alike can take proactive and creative steps in making human connection an integral part of living well.

In this episode, you’ll hear about: 

2:50 - What social prescribing is and how it became Hotz’ focus as a journalist

5:32 - How loneliness became a crisis in the era of social media 

18:46 - The ways in which social prescribing can change the conversation between doctors and patients

28:24 - The impact that our relationships and environments have on our physiological wellbeing 

38:29 - How doctors and health care systems can leverage the power of social prescribing 

45:00 - How social prescribing is beginning to find its place in the American healthcare system 

56:03 - How social prescribing can bring a stronger sense of meaning into the lives of both patients and doctors 

To learn more about how you can get involved in the social prescribing movement, Julia recommends visiting Social Prescribing USA and socialprescribing.co. 

Visit our website www.TheDoctorsArt.com where you can find transcripts of all episodes.

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