We need ‘social prescriptions' just as much as traditional medicine, author of ‘The Connection Cure' says

What if going to see a doctor about your low energy meant leaving not just with the order to take vitamin D supplements, but also a recommendation to join a local run club and meet new people?

This is the future Julia Hotz, author of "The Connection Cure," hopes will become a reality in every country. Many healthcare systems, including in the U.S., follow a "diagnose-treat-repeat" cycle instead of offering proactive treatments like engaging in social connection to prevent the development of health conditions.

The best way to approach health care, in addition to traditional medicine, in Hotz's opinion, is social prescribing. "Social prescribing refers to a practice through which health workers are referring non-medical community-based activities and resources to their patients," says Hotz, who is also a journalist with the Solutions Journalism Network.

"And the idea is that we're shifting the question health providers ask [from], 'What's the matter with you?' to 'What matters to you?'"

Hotz interviewed hundreds of health experts, analyzed thousands of scientific articles and historical texts and traveled to ten countries. She met "real patients prescribed these five ingredients to help treat their wide range of diagnoses: type 2 diabetes, depression, stress, ADHD, anxiety, chronic pain, dementia, loneliness," she says in her book.

Here are the five types of social prescription and when to use them, according to Hotz.

The 5 types of 'social prescription'

1. Engage in movement when you're sad or stuck

"If we're feeling sad or stuck, physically moving our bodies can be really, really helpful for that," Hotz tells Make It.

Movement can increase production of serotonin and stimulate dopamine pathways that are associated with elevating mood, she adds.

It's important that the activity you choose is something you enjoy doing, whether it's running or cycling. Doing the activity with others can increase the benefits, Hotz notes.

2. Spend time in nature when you're distracted

Spending time in nature, even in stillness, can be "tremendously powerful for our attention capabilities," Hotz says.

The connection between basking in nature and restoring your attention may have to do with evolution, she says. "We evolved able to pay attention to our birds and our fish and the rivers and the trees which gave shelter. This was a survival necessity."

Hotz suggests tapping into this social prescription by taking a walk in the park or engaging in group activities like bird watching.

"When I wake up and I have a full inbox and I'm feeling super overwhelmed like I can't focus on anything, a quick walk and sitting in the park can be so powerful for that," Hotz says.

3. Turn to art when you're worried

"Telling stories about our human experience, whether it's through oral storytelling, written storytelling, more aesthetic storytelling, [like] paintings, drawings, that sort of thing, it sort of helps us make sense of our own story in the world," Hotz says.

You can engage in art by reading a novel which may help you identify with a character's journey and feel comforted that you aren't alone in your experience. Or you can create your own art to channel some of the heavy emotions you're feeling into something beautiful.

"Engaging in some form of art is really good at lowering our stress levels," Hotz says. "It's really good at increasing feelings of calm, increasing feelings of hope [and] self esteem."

4. Overcome feelings of anger or frustration with service

Anger and frustration can lead to headaches and rumination, Hotz says.

"When we can redirect that energy to the well-being of other people through serving some greater cause, it sort of shifts our perspective again," she says.

Participating in volunteer activities like cleaning up a playground or tending to a community garden can help you feel like you're a part of something bigger than yourself and contributing to a greater good. Research shows volunteering can also improve your quality of life and motivation.

5. Search for belonging when you're feeling lonely

One of the most fundamental human needs is to have a sense of belonging, Hotz says. An 85-year Harvard study found that having positive relationships in your life can increase your happiness and help you live longer.

"There's a lot of research suggesting that when we feel we're with people who can affirm who we are, whether that's a big group of people or just one person, we improve our own self esteem," she says.

"We feel less lonely when we feel seen and understood by another person."

The great thing is that you can increase your sense of belonging by engaging in any of the other four types of social prescription in group settings. From fitness classes to book clubs, you can connect with people in shared spaces that align with your interests.

"Instead of replacing other kinds of medicine, social prescriptions complement them," Hotz wrote in her book. "Instead of just treating symptoms of sickness, social prescriptions reconnect us to our sources of wellness."

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