When Obama appointed him Surgeon General of the United States, Dr Vivek Murthy observed the growing health crisis of isolation first-hand. He completed his internal medicine residency at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School where he later joined the faculty. Murthy's prescient book reveals the importance of human connection, the hidden impact of loneliness on our health, and the social power of community.

He received his bachelor’s degree from Harvard and his M.D. Prior to serving in government, he conducted research on vaccine development and clinical trial participation and founded several organizations focused on HIV/AIDS education, rural health, physician advocacy, and clinical trial optimization. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, he oversaw a uniformed service of 6,600 officers dedicated to safeguarding the health of the nation. As America’s Doctor, he called the nation’s attention to critical public health issues including the opioid epidemic, e-cigarettes, and emotional health and wellbeing. Murthy served as the 19th Surgeon General of the United States from Decemto April 21, 2017. Giving and receiving both strengthen our social bonds, so checking on a neighbor, seeking advice, even just offering a smile to a stranger six feet away, all can make us stronger.ĭr. Service is a form of human connection that reminds us of our value and purpose in life. Meditation, prayer, art, music, and time spent outdoors can all be sources of solitary comfort and joy. Solitude helps us do that by allowing us to check in with our own feelings and thoughts, to explore our creativity, to connect with nature. The first step toward building stronger connections with others is to build a stronger connection with oneself. Forget about multitasking and give the other person the gift of your full attention, making eye contact, if possible, and genuinely listening.Įmbrace solitude. Try to eliminate distractions when interacting with others. Devote at least 15 minutes each day to connecting with those you most care about.įocus on each other. Reach out also to the other members of your lifeline via phone or, better yet, videoconference, so you can hear their voice and see their face. This is not limited to the people in your immediate household.

Book by vivek murthy