A British journalist is breaking down and challenging the common misconceptions around depression and anxiety.

Author of the book Lost Connections, Johann Hari is uncovering the real causes of depression and the unexpected solutions.

The book as already topped New York Times’ Best Sellers list.

Johann tells Alan Jones there was a mystery he wanted to investigate.

“I’m 39-years-old and almost every year that I’ve been alive, depression and anxiety have increased in Australia and across the Western world.

“And I wanted to understand why for a very personal reason.

“When I was a teenager, I’d gone to my doctor and explained that I’d had a feeling like pain was kind of leaking out of me and I couldn’t control it.”

He says the solution is more obvious that you think.

“The key thing to explain to people is, if you’re depressed, if you’re anxious, you’re not crazy. You’re not a machine with broken parts. You’re a human being with unmet needs and what you need is help and support.”

Click PLAY below to hear the full interview below