Book Discussion "The Myth of Normal" by Gabor Maté

Our book for September is The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness, & Healing in a Toxic Culture by Canadian physician Gabor Maté.

From Amazon:
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.

"An important, insightful book explaining how society became a vortex of mental illness and offering possible remedies." – Kirkus Reviews