Scattered Minds by Gabor Maté
Book Overview:
Shattered Minds by Gabor Maté confronts the belief that ADD is a genetically based condition and introduces the possibility that our environment plays a key factor in the development and onset of this condition. Maté flips the belief that ADD is an incurable disease and instead describes how it’s an impairment and developmental delay that with time, patience, and effort can be healed and managed.
He offers key insight for parents with ADD children on what makes them act and behave the way they do. Additionally, he offers practical advice on how to work with them to address these behavioral issues. Maté also imparts knowledge to those with Adult ADD regarding their behaviors and emotional patterns. Thus, teaching them how to address and heal these issues to better manage their symptoms.
Book Review:
I found Maté’s execution of this book to be well done. This book is easy to read, relatable, and manages to discuss complex psychological concepts in a way the layperson can easily comprehend. He states his intention and purpose for the book and then proceeds to navigate you through each of the key points he aims to address. Starting with his belief that ADD isn’t genetic but instead a condition birthed in infancy due to the infant not developing the ideal emotional connection with their parent.
Then he shares how this lack of emotional connection contributes to the various traits that are commonly associated with ADD and why they present themselves. Furthermore, he shares valuable insight for parents with ADD children on how to address these behavioral issues so the child may form a healthy emotional relationship with the parent and overcome the affliction causing them to be so emotionally dysregulated.
Later he addresses how ADD impacts adults living with this condition. He shares the traits most common with Adult ADD and how they impact and decrease the quality of life for those with this condition. Additionally, he provides invaluable advice on how adults with ADD can better manage their symptoms and decrease the prevalence of these traits in their lives by doing emotional work to address these dysregulated emotions.
Maté also discusses the role of medication in ADD and how it’s beneficial but shouldn’t be thought of as a cure by any means. Instead, he promotes a more integrative approach to treating ADD in both children and adults. This could include medication, therapy, and lifestyle modification. How when an integrative approach is taken traits and symptoms are better managed and those with the condition can lead healthy, well-balanced, and emotionally regulated lives.
My Thoughts:
I found this book to confront many of the beliefs I’ve had regarding ADD and found them to be eye-opening. Primarily when it comes to genetics not being the sole cause of ADD but how the environment plays a key factor in the onset of this condition. I also appreciated him addressing the fact that ADD is not a disease but rather a condition or impairment. I found this comforting to know this isn’t some incurable disease that I’m stuck with as opposed to a developmental disorder that can be healed and managed.
It also reinforced my beliefs regarding medication and ADD. How they’re not an essential part of treatment but a nice complement to an integrative treatment plan. I’ve taken medication off and on for years and have had mild success but feel as though it’s not really imperative or necessary at this stage in my life. Since I’ve done much of the emotional and psychological work incorporating lifestyle modifications to better manage the traits and symptoms that present in my case of ADD.
Additionally, this book allowed me to understand much of why my behavior and thought process was impacted by ADD as a child and clued me in as to why I possibly acted this way. Which let me tell you was validating and cathartic after living much of my life being told I was attention-seeking and that my condition and issues weren’t real.
All in all I appreciated and enjoyed this book it’s something that I can see myself referring back to in the years to come. I also highly recommend this book for parents with an ADD child as it will provide plenty of insight and wisdom regarding their child’s behavior and how to best help them better manage this condition.
