Mental Health
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The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness, and Healing in a Toxic Culture
The instant New York Times bestseller
By the acclaimed author of In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts, a groundbreaking investigation into the causes of illness, a bracing critique of how our society breeds disease, and a pathway to health and healing.
In this revolutionary book, renowned physician Gabor Maté eloquently dissects how in Western countries that pride themselves on their healthcare systems, chronic illness and general ill health are on the rise. Nearly 70 percent of Americans are on at least one prescription drug; more than half take two. In Canada, every fifth person has high blood pressure. In Europe, hypertension is diagnosed in more than 30 percent of the population. And everywhere, adolescent mental illness is on the rise. So what is really "normal" when it comes to health?
Over four decades of clinical experience, Maté has come to recognize the prevailing understanding of "normal" as false, neglecting the roles that trauma and stress, and the pressures of modern-day living, exert on our bodies and our minds at the expense of good health. For all our expertise and technological sophistication, Western medicine often fails to treat the whole person, ignoring how today's culture stresses the body, burdens the immune system, and undermines emotional balance. Now Maté brings his perspective to the great untangling of common myths about what makes us sick, connects the dots between the maladies of individuals and the declining soundness of society-and offers a compassionate guide for health and healing. Cowritten with his son Daniel, The Myth Of Normal is Maté's most ambitious and urgent book yet.
By the acclaimed author of In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts, a groundbreaking investigation into the causes of illness, a bracing critique of how our society breeds disease, and a pathway to health and healing.
In this revolutionary book, renowned physician Gabor Maté eloquently dissects how in Western countries that pride themselves on their healthcare systems, chronic illness and general ill health are on the rise. Nearly 70 percent of Americans are on at least one prescription drug; more than half take two. In Canada, every fifth person has high blood pressure. In Europe, hypertension is diagnosed in more than 30 percent of the population. And everywhere, adolescent mental illness is on the rise. So what is really "normal" when it comes to health?
Over four decades of clinical experience, Maté has come to recognize the prevailing understanding of "normal" as false, neglecting the roles that trauma and stress, and the pressures of modern-day living, exert on our bodies and our minds at the expense of good health. For all our expertise and technological sophistication, Western medicine often fails to treat the whole person, ignoring how today's culture stresses the body, burdens the immune system, and undermines emotional balance. Now Maté brings his perspective to the great untangling of common myths about what makes us sick, connects the dots between the maladies of individuals and the declining soundness of society-and offers a compassionate guide for health and healing. Cowritten with his son Daniel, The Myth Of Normal is Maté's most ambitious and urgent book yet.
Editorial Reviews
"In The Myth of Normal, Gabor Maté takes us on an epic journey of discovery about how our emotional well-being, and our social connectivity (in short: how we live), is intimately intertwined with health, disease and addictions. Chronic mental and physical illnesses may not be separate and distinct diseases, but intricate, multilayered processes that reflect (mal)adaptations to the cultural context that we live in, and the values we live by. This riveting and beautifully written tale has profound implications for all of our lives, including the practice of medicine and mental health."--Bessel A. van der Kolk MD, President, Trauma Research Foundation, Professor of psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, #1 New York Times Bestseller: The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind and Body in the Healing of Trauma
"Gabor and Daniel Maté have created a magnificent resource for us all in The Myth of Normal, a powerful, in-depth, science-packed, inspiring story-filled opus that helps us see how stress within our culture shapes our well-being in all its facets. By carefully reviewing medical and mental health through a wide lens of inquiry, they challenge simplistic views of disease and disorder to offer instead a wider perspective on human flourishing that has direct implications for how we live individually, at home, and as a larger human family. A thorough and inspiring work of the heart, this book urges us to question our assumptions and think deeply about who we are and how we can live more fully and freely, harnessing the power of the mind to bring healing and wholeness into our shared lives on Earth."--Daniel J. Siegel, MD, Clinical Professor, UCLA School of Medicine, Executive Director, Mindsight Institute, New York Times bestselling author of IntraConnected: MWe (Me plus We) as the integration of self, identity, and belonging
"Wise, sophisticated, rigorous and creative: an intellectual and compassionate investigation of who we are and who we may become. Essential reading for anyone with a past and a future."--Tara Westover, New York Times bestselling author,
"Gabor and Daniel Maté have created a magnificent resource for us all in The Myth of Normal, a powerful, in-depth, science-packed, inspiring story-filled opus that helps us see how stress within our culture shapes our well-being in all its facets. By carefully reviewing medical and mental health through a wide lens of inquiry, they challenge simplistic views of disease and disorder to offer instead a wider perspective on human flourishing that has direct implications for how we live individually, at home, and as a larger human family. A thorough and inspiring work of the heart, this book urges us to question our assumptions and think deeply about who we are and how we can live more fully and freely, harnessing the power of the mind to bring healing and wholeness into our shared lives on Earth."--Daniel J. Siegel, MD, Clinical Professor, UCLA School of Medicine, Executive Director, Mindsight Institute, New York Times bestselling author of IntraConnected: MWe (Me plus We) as the integration of self, identity, and belonging
"Wise, sophisticated, rigorous and creative: an intellectual and compassionate investigation of who we are and who we may become. Essential reading for anyone with a past and a future."--Tara Westover, New York Times bestselling author,
Readers Top Reviews
MihaelaMihaelaMic
It is a big book , easy to read , written in a gentle way … same way that Gabor talks … I cannot express how grateful I am that he has written this. Far far far more informative than any modern day icons like Jordan Peterson and Joe Dispenza. This is a book for those who have tried but just could not love themselves.
Hayley AndrewsMih
I shared this wonderful book to a post natal support group I am part of. I'm currently reading a book called "the Myth of Normal written by Dr Gabor Maté and Daniel Maté. I can't recommend it enough. Its heavy. Its trigging. If you're in a a shakey place I recommend saving it for another time. It's written at a very high level so not binge read material. More a chapter at a time. Reflect, digest and continue. That being said. Its strangely healing. Its reassuring to know that the feelings and struggles many of us feel are real. They are a real and legitimate emotional reaction to raising children, becoming mothers and families in a society that does not provide the nourishing environment they need to thrive in. Personally it has given me validation for some of my feelings and the things I struggle with. So many of us self blame, are hyper critical of ourselves, that we are catastrophic failures as parents (that's MY personal narrative), lonely and isolated. No doctor or mental health professional has ever mentioned our society being a trigger for some of my own challenges. How most of my environments have not been complimentary for my development as a human being. Societies evolution of very recent history has stripped away the foundations of what it truly feels to be and exist as a human being. How we thrust mothers into this life changing journey ill prepared and ill equipped to manage alone. Because we were never meant to be alone. Your feeling of struggle with this insane load we are expected to carry is a normal human reaction to something that is not normal. This book has helped me confirm my own feelings and set hard boundaries around environments that conflict nourishment, safety and empathy. Places like ***** help bridge the gap. Help to allow that vital time and space to heal. There is nothing I can ever do or say that is enough to show my gratitude. But if I ever come across things that may help others, my personal promise is to share them with you all. So you know others are thinking of you. They care and want to help you where they can. Anyone becoming, is or wants to be a parent should read this book. Its pages contain validation of feeling and healing. It is a masterpiece of both author's work. Thank you for writing this book. H.A.C
William EnderHayl
In "The Myth of Normal," Dr. Gabor Maté argues that our society's obsession with the idea of "normal" is not only misguided, but also harmful. Drawing on his own experiences as a physician and his research on addiction, mental health, and trauma, Maté makes the case that our society's emphasis on conformity and the suppression of "abnormal" behavior actually causes many of the problems we face. One of the key themes of the book is the idea that mental health issues and addiction are often the result of underlying traumas or stressors that have not been properly addressed. Maté argues that our society's emphasis on individual responsibility and the denial of the role of societal and environmental factors in these problems only serves to perpetuate them. Throughout the book, Maté presents a number of case studies and examples to illustrate his points, including his own experiences working with patients struggling with addiction, mental illness, and other issues. He also discusses the role of the medical and mental health industries in perpetuating the myth of normal, and offers alternatives for more holistic, trauma-informed approaches to care. Overall, "The Myth of Normal" is a thought-provoking and deeply compassionate examination of the ways in which our society's ideas about what is "normal" contribute to the suffering of many individuals. It offers a powerful critique of the status quo and a call to reexamine our assumptions about mental health, addiction, and what it means to be "normal."
HeidemarieWilliam
In "The Myth of Normal", Gabor Maté has created a masterpiece of a book that truly speaks to the root of the problems of our day. He shows how we have created a toxic culture, why we are suffering so much now, and provides insights as to how we can begin the long road towards healing our world. And it begins with how we care for our young, as well as how we care for our own emotional health, with the transformative and healing power of compassion. This ambitious book seeks to span the immense breadth of connecting personal physical health with personal emotional health in the context of the vast fabric of society: culture, belief systems, politics and economics, etc. And while Dr. Gabor Maté emphasizes how vital the formative years of childhood are in shaping our personal emotional and physical health, and in the larger context in shaping the collective emotional and physical health of society, he makes it abundantly clear that he is in no way blaming or shaming parents!!!! We are all doing the best we can with the cultural conditioning and early subconscious programming that shaped our OWN early development!!! Honestly, I couldn't finish any chapter without putting the book down several times, closing my eyes, and with hand on my heart, breathing deeply as I was flooded with a river of feelings, memories and longings overflowing its banks. For me, it was like Roberta Flack's song, "Killing Me Softly." If this book shakes you up and makes you confront your own cherished belief systems that have kept you comfortably adapted to a sick society and blind to its deeply entrenched madness, this is good. Dr. Maté's magnum opus is one of the great works in history that holds the power to help you heal your life, and in so doing, heal the world.
Valerie AkersHeid
....look inside the book, which will help you to look deep inside yourself. We are so deeply affected by everything this cruel system we live in throws at us. Here's to unwinding your way through the painful things you've unknowingly absorbed along the path, and to better days ahead. The mind-body connection was not a new concept to me, but Dr. Maté took this to a much more profound level and actually gives you the courage, desire, and tools to start picking things apart.
Short Excerpt Teaser
Chapter 1
The Last Place You Want to Be: Facets of Trauma
It is hard to imagine the scope of an individual life without envisioning some kind of trauma, and it is hard for
most people to know what to do about it.
-Mark Epstein, The Trauma of Everyday Life
Picture this: At the tender age of seventy-one, six years before this writing, your author arrives back in Vancouver from a speaking jaunt to Philadelphia. The talk was successful, the audience enthusiastic, my message about addiction and trauma's impact on people's lives warmly received. I have traveled in unexpected comfort, having been upgraded to the business-class cabin, thanks to a courtesy from Air Canada. Descending over Vancouver's pristine sea-to-sky panorama, I am a regular Little Jack Horner in my corner of the plane, suffused with a "What a good boy am I" glow. As we touch down and begin to taxi to the gate, the text from my wife, Rae, lights up the tiny screen: "Sorry. I haven't left home yet. Do you still want me to come?" I stiffen, satisfaction displaced by rage. "Never mind," I dictate tersely into the phone. Embittered, I disembark, clear customs, and take a taxi home, all of a twenty-minute ride door-to-door. (I trust the reader is already gripping the pages in empathetic outrage at the indignity suffered by your author.) Seeing Rae, I growl a hello that is more accusation than greeting, and scarcely look at her. In fact, I barely make eye contact for the next twenty-four hours. When addressed, I utter little more than brief, monotone grunts. My gaze is averted, the upper part of my face tense and rigid, and my jaw in a perma-clench.
What is happening with me? Is this the response of a mature adult in his eighth decade? Only superficially. At times like this, there is very little grown-up Gabor in the mix. Most of me is in the grips of the distant past, near the beginnings of my life. This kind of physio-emotional time warp, preventing me from inhabiting the present moment, is one of the imprints of trauma, an underlying theme for many people in this culture. In fact, it is so deeply "underlying" that many of us don't know it's there.
The meaning of the word "trauma," in its Greek origin, is "wound." Whether we realize it or not, it is our woundedness, or how we cope with it, that dictates much of our behavior, shapes our social habits, and informs our ways of thinking about the world. It can even determine whether or not we are capable of rational thought at all in matters of the greatest importance to our lives. For many of us, it rears its head in our closest partnerships, causing all kinds of relational mischief.
It was in 1889 that the pioneering French psychologist Pierre Janet first depicted traumatic memory as being held in "automatic actions and reactions, sensations and attitudes . . . replayed and reenacted in visceral sensations." In the present century, the leading trauma psychologist and healer Peter Levine has written that certain shocks to the organism "can alter a person's biological, psychological, and social equilibrium to such a degree that the memory of one particular event comes to taint, and dominate, all other experiences, spoiling an appreciation of the present moment." Levine calls this "the tyranny of the past."
In my case, the template for my hostility to Rae's message is to be found in the diary my mother kept, in a nearly illegible scrawl and only intermittently, during my first years in wartime and post-World War II Budapest. The following, translated by me from the Hungarian, is her entry on April 8, 1945, when I was fourteen months old:
My dear little man, only after many long months do I take in hand again the pen, so that I may briefly sketch for you the unspeakable horrors of those times, the details of which I do not wish you to know . . . It was on December 12 that the Crossed-Arrows forced us into the fenced-in Budapest ghetto, from which, with extreme difficulty, we found refuge in a Swiss-protected house. From there, after two days, I sent you by a complete stranger to your Aunt Viola's because I saw that your little organism could not possibly endure the living conditions in that building. Now began the most dreadful five or six weeks of my life, when I couldn't see you.
I survived, thanks to the kindness and courage of the unknown Christian woman to whom my mother entrusted me in the street and who conveyed me to relatives living in hiding under relatively safer circumstances. Reunited with my mother after the Soviet army had put the Germans to flight, I did not so much as look at her for several days.
The great twentieth-century British psychiatrist and psychologist John Bowlby was familiar with such behavior: he called it detachment. At his clinic he obse...
The Last Place You Want to Be: Facets of Trauma
It is hard to imagine the scope of an individual life without envisioning some kind of trauma, and it is hard for
most people to know what to do about it.
-Mark Epstein, The Trauma of Everyday Life
Picture this: At the tender age of seventy-one, six years before this writing, your author arrives back in Vancouver from a speaking jaunt to Philadelphia. The talk was successful, the audience enthusiastic, my message about addiction and trauma's impact on people's lives warmly received. I have traveled in unexpected comfort, having been upgraded to the business-class cabin, thanks to a courtesy from Air Canada. Descending over Vancouver's pristine sea-to-sky panorama, I am a regular Little Jack Horner in my corner of the plane, suffused with a "What a good boy am I" glow. As we touch down and begin to taxi to the gate, the text from my wife, Rae, lights up the tiny screen: "Sorry. I haven't left home yet. Do you still want me to come?" I stiffen, satisfaction displaced by rage. "Never mind," I dictate tersely into the phone. Embittered, I disembark, clear customs, and take a taxi home, all of a twenty-minute ride door-to-door. (I trust the reader is already gripping the pages in empathetic outrage at the indignity suffered by your author.) Seeing Rae, I growl a hello that is more accusation than greeting, and scarcely look at her. In fact, I barely make eye contact for the next twenty-four hours. When addressed, I utter little more than brief, monotone grunts. My gaze is averted, the upper part of my face tense and rigid, and my jaw in a perma-clench.
What is happening with me? Is this the response of a mature adult in his eighth decade? Only superficially. At times like this, there is very little grown-up Gabor in the mix. Most of me is in the grips of the distant past, near the beginnings of my life. This kind of physio-emotional time warp, preventing me from inhabiting the present moment, is one of the imprints of trauma, an underlying theme for many people in this culture. In fact, it is so deeply "underlying" that many of us don't know it's there.
The meaning of the word "trauma," in its Greek origin, is "wound." Whether we realize it or not, it is our woundedness, or how we cope with it, that dictates much of our behavior, shapes our social habits, and informs our ways of thinking about the world. It can even determine whether or not we are capable of rational thought at all in matters of the greatest importance to our lives. For many of us, it rears its head in our closest partnerships, causing all kinds of relational mischief.
It was in 1889 that the pioneering French psychologist Pierre Janet first depicted traumatic memory as being held in "automatic actions and reactions, sensations and attitudes . . . replayed and reenacted in visceral sensations." In the present century, the leading trauma psychologist and healer Peter Levine has written that certain shocks to the organism "can alter a person's biological, psychological, and social equilibrium to such a degree that the memory of one particular event comes to taint, and dominate, all other experiences, spoiling an appreciation of the present moment." Levine calls this "the tyranny of the past."
In my case, the template for my hostility to Rae's message is to be found in the diary my mother kept, in a nearly illegible scrawl and only intermittently, during my first years in wartime and post-World War II Budapest. The following, translated by me from the Hungarian, is her entry on April 8, 1945, when I was fourteen months old:
My dear little man, only after many long months do I take in hand again the pen, so that I may briefly sketch for you the unspeakable horrors of those times, the details of which I do not wish you to know . . . It was on December 12 that the Crossed-Arrows forced us into the fenced-in Budapest ghetto, from which, with extreme difficulty, we found refuge in a Swiss-protected house. From there, after two days, I sent you by a complete stranger to your Aunt Viola's because I saw that your little organism could not possibly endure the living conditions in that building. Now began the most dreadful five or six weeks of my life, when I couldn't see you.
I survived, thanks to the kindness and courage of the unknown Christian woman to whom my mother entrusted me in the street and who conveyed me to relatives living in hiding under relatively safer circumstances. Reunited with my mother after the Soviet army had put the Germans to flight, I did not so much as look at her for several days.
The great twentieth-century British psychiatrist and psychologist John Bowlby was familiar with such behavior: he called it detachment. At his clinic he obse...
