5 Surprising Ways to Heal (That Don’t Involve a Prescription)

Let’s be blunt: loneliness is making us sick—and the real cure probably isn’t in your medicine cabinet.

According to the U.S. Surgeon General, chronic loneliness has the same impact on your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Read that again.

In a world obsessed with biohacking and productivity, we’ve forgotten one of the most powerful, proven forms of healing: human connection.

That’s why I sat down with journalist Julia Hotz, author of The Connection Cure, on this week’s episode of Possibilities with Monique de Maio. If you’ve been feeling off, isolated, or like you’re going through the motions—this conversation is your invitation to come back to life.

Here are 5 evidence-backed ways to feel better (and spoiler alert: they don’t cost a thing):

1. Move Your Body (Not for a Six-Pack, but for Sanity)
You don’t need to train for a marathon. A short walk with a friend or a dance break in your kitchen literally changes your brain chemistry. Movement boosts serotonin, improves memory, and helps you stop spiraling. (Oh, and if you don’t move for three days? You might become “an unhinged lunatic.” Ask me how I know.)

2. Get Outside. Nature is Free Medicine.
A few minutes outside can lower cortisol, slow your heart rate, and reset your mood. Julia reminds us: the body was never designed to stare at screens all day. It was designed to breathe air, feel light, and move through seasons.

3. Make Something (Yes, Even If It’s Bad)
Painting. Journaling. Baking. Art doesn’t have to be perfect to be powerful. It’s not about the end result—it’s about presence, play, and perspective. Creativity expands your sense of self. And in a culture that tells women to stay small? That’s radical.

4. Serve Someone (Without Posting About It)
Turns out helping others isn’t just kind—it’s chemistry. Altruism boosts oxytocin and reduces physical pain. Julia shared how doctors around the world are literally “prescribing” service to improve depression, anxiety, and even blood pressure. We don’t need more pills. We need more purpose.

5. Find Your People (And Let Them See You)
Belonging isn’t fluff—it’s a biological need. When you feel excluded, your body processes that as pain. Real pain. The antidote? Being seen, heard, and valued by people who get you. This isn’t about collecting contacts—it’s about building community.

Bottom line: Your health isn’t just about kale and cardio. It’s about connection.

This episode is your permission slip to stop white-knuckling life and start reaching for the things that actually make you feel human again.

🎧 Listen to the full episode: The Connection Cure: The Prescriptive Power of Movement, Nature, Art, Service & Belonging
📘 Grab the book: The Connection Cure by Julia Hotz
💬 Share this with someone you’d rather walk with than text.

Let’s stop coping—and start connecting.

—Monique ✨