The Myth of Normal by Gabor Maté
Synopsis
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.
Reviews
'A book in which readers can seek refuge and solace during moments of profound personal and social crisis' Esther Perel, psychotherapist and author of Mating in Captivity
'Gabor Maté's connections - between the intensely personal and the global, the spiritual and the medical, the psychological and the political - are bold, wise and deeply moral. He is a healer to be cherished' Naomi Klein, author of No Logo and The Shock Doctrine
'A compelling book that will challenge your views and help lift the veil of illusion to what is truly happening in your mind and in your body' Sharon Salzberg, author of Lovingkindness and Real Happiness
'Gripping ... a powerful call for change in how we live with, love, understand, treat, and think about each other' Rebecca Solnit, author of Men Explaining Everything To Me
Author
A celebrated speaker and bestselling author, Dr Gabor Maté is highly sought after for his expertise on a range of topics, such as addiction, stress and childhood development. Dr Maté has written several bestselling books, including the award-winning In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts, When the Body Says No, Scattered Minds and (as co-author) Hold On to Your Kids. His works have been published internationally in more than thirty languages.