"The Heart Speaks" by Mimi Guarneri

I am currently reading The Heart Speaks by Mimi Guarneri. She is a cardiologist. She speaks to loneliness and depression, and their impact on the heart. She found that people who are lonely and depressed are at great risk of heart attacks. She discussed one patient that was very depressed and isolated. She had worked with this patient for some time, and she had exhausted all of the options she could think of to help her. She decided to try one last thing. She wrote out a perscription for the women to get a dog. This completely changed the woman. The next time Dr. Guarneri saw her she was smiling and happy. It didn't cure her, but the dog gave her the unconditional love and companionship that she deperately needed.