This article is an excerpt from the Shortform book guide to "The Myth of Normal" by Gabor Maté. Shortform has the world's best summaries and analyses of books you should be reading.
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What does it mean to be “normal”? What role does trauma play in your health? What is the biopsychosocial model of health?
In The Myth of Normal, physician and trauma expert Gabor Maté writes that much of what society labels as abnormal behavior, mental illness, or dysfunction actually represents normal responses to adverse life experiences. He advocates a trauma-informed perspective that addresses the root psychological and social causes of what we label as illness.
Continue reading for an overview of Gabor Maté’s The Myth of Normal.
Overview of The Myth of Normal
In Gabor Maté’s book The Myth of Normal, he writes that much of what modern society labels as abnormal behavior, mental illness, or dysfunction represents normal responses to adverse life experiences. He writes that traumatic events and unhealthy childhood environments fundamentally shape human development—and that what we call “sickness” is a result of the suffering and trauma we experience.
Maté challenges society’s idea of what qualifies as “normal,” contending that the conventional medical model pathologizes normal coping mechanisms like emotional numbing as “diseases” requiring pharmaceutical treatment. Maté instead advocates a trauma-informed perspective that views these experiences as logical adaptations to abnormal environments and stressors. Thus, achieving authentic wellness requires holistic approaches that address root psychological and social causes—not mere symptom management.
Maté is known for his expertise in addiction, stress, and childhood development, with a medical career spanning several decades. His work emphasizes the impact of childhood experiences and societal structures on physical and mental health, as explored in books like When the Body Says No and Scattered Minds.
In this guide, we’ll explore Maté’s argument, focusing on:
- The idea that what we define as “normal” health and behaviors are determined by our social, economic, and cultural systems
- The role of trauma in shaping the negative thoughts and self-perceptions that determine much of our health
- How deeply ingrained structures like racism, misogyny, and capitalism instill and reinforce that trauma
- How the medical community can embrace a more comprehensive biopsychosocial model of health by accepting the role of trauma in shaping health outcomes and by encouraging nontraditional healing practices like yoga, meditation, and psychedelics
We’ll also supplement his analysis with insights from other experts on trauma, early childhood development, addiction, and more.
Part 1: Rethinking Health and Normalcy
Maté notes that what we define as “normal” health and behaviors are determined by our social, economic, and cultural systems. In this section, we’ll explore how societal norms perpetuate unhealthy standards, the shortcomings of the conventional biomedical model of health, and how the mind and body can’t be separated when thinking about human health.
Societal Norms Perpetuate Unhealthy Standards
Maté argues that many behaviors labeled as abnormal or pathological are reasonable responses to the conditions and stresses imposed by our society. Society, he writes, values productivity over well-being, material wealth over connections with others, and conformity over individuality. When people can’t or don’t conform to these standards, they experience discomfort, disconnection, and distress. Their behavior is then labeled as “abnormal”—even though what they’re actually exhibiting are natural reactions to unhealthy societal pressures.
For example, a child diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is conventionally viewed as having a brain disorder that needs to be managed with medication and behavioral therapy. However, the child’s inability to follow classroom rules may be a reasonable response to an education system that requires young people to remain sedentary and suppress their natural energy levels. The “abnormal” behaviors represent a child’s healthy resistance to an overly restrictive model of schooling that’s out of tune with her developmental needs.
The Conventional Biomedical Model
Given that many so-called “abnormal” behaviors are actually just responses to societal pressures, Maté goes on to criticize the dominant biomedical model of health for its limited perspective.
Maté argues that the biomedical model fails to understand health holistically, instead viewing health and illness almost exclusively as the result of the physical processes of biochemistry, pathology, and physiology. As such, it doesn’t consider the broader social, psychological, and environmental influencers of health. He writes that this reduces complex human conditions to mere symptoms that need to be treated or managed, often through intrusive and unnecessary pharmaceuticals or surgical procedures.
Conventional Medicine’s Paternalistic Model
Maté further critiques conventional medicine for its tendency to place doctors in an elevated position that significantly reduces the agency of patients in their own health and healing process. He warns that this can lead patients to feel disempowered or even invisible—hesitant to voice concerns, question treatment options, or share insights about their bodies and conditions.
Mind and Body Are Interconnected
Maté emphasizes that mind, spirit, and body are interconnected and inseparable at the root of your well-being. This interconnectedness means that your psychological and emotional experiences have direct, tangible effects on your physical health. Thus, chronic stress or unresolved emotional issues can lead to physical ailments, from increased susceptibility to infections and even chronic conditions like heart disease.
Part 2: The Root and Impacts of Trauma
In the first section, we explored Maté’s idea that our social, economic, and cultural systems impact our physical health. In this section, we’ll examine his idea that emotional trauma—often a direct result of those systems—exerts a similarly lasting impact on our physical health.
We Are Shaped by Our Trauma
According to Maté, many of us carry emotional scars that stem from a variety of sources—whether it’s childhood neglect, emotional abuse, or other forms of trauma. These experiences leave imprints on our psyche, influencing our behaviors, reactions, beliefs, and how we relate to others and ourselves. These imprints are not just memories; they are active influences, constantly shaping our identity and how we navigate the world. He asserts that these unresolved traumas limit our potential, narrow our perceptions of the world and its possibilities, and create a disconnect between us and the world around us.
Trauma Comes From Unmet Needs
Maté observes that trauma largely stems from the accumulation of unmet needs. He posits that these unmet needs, especially during your formative years, can deeply affect your psychological and emotional development, leading to trauma. Below, we’ll explore two commonly unmet needs in more detail: the need for secure attachment—a strong and trusting bond between a child and their caregiver—and the need for connection.
The Need for Secure Attachment
Maté writes that certain parenting practices can hinder the development of secure attachment, potentially leading to trauma that manifests as illness later in life.
He explains that the fundamental human need for attachment originates in childhood, with babies biologically hardwired for behaviors and characteristics designed to elicit caregiving and attachment responses from their parents. These innate mechanisms have evolved to maximize the chances of children receiving the necessary emotional and physical care for their development.
Maté notes that when a secure attachment is lacking or disrupted, it can lead to a host of challenges that extend well into adulthood—such as an impaired ability to regulate emotions, difficulty in forming healthy relationships, a deep-seated sense of insecurity, and an increased vulnerability to stress. This is because, without the foundation of trust and safety, individuals may struggle with feelings of worthlessness, chronic anxiety, and an overarching sense of being unsafe in the world. These early traumatic experiences of attachment disruption can then manifest as chronic health conditions later in life.
The Need for Connection
Maté highlights that humans are inherently social, wired for connection with other humans from the moment of birth. He posits that this need for connection is not merely a preference or a social construct, but a fundamental aspect of our biological and psychological makeup. He writes that our brains and bodies operate within the context of relationships—our drive to seek out and maintain social bonds is as essential to our survival as food and shelter. This need for connection comes from our evolutionary history; our ancestors relied on social bonds for survival, making connection an ingrained part of our genetic heritage.
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Like what you just read? Read the rest of the world's best book summary and analysis of Gabor Maté's "The Myth of Normal" at Shortform.
Here's what you'll find in our full The Myth of Normal summary:
- Why we need to rethink what “normal” means when it comes to mental health
- How certain social conditions instill and reinforce trauma
- The role of trauma in shaping health outcomes
