The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness, and Healing in a Toxic Culture

Gabor Maté MD examines the causes of illness in Western societies and critiques how modern culture contributes to disease. He observes that despite advanced healthcare systems, chronic illness and poor health are increasing: nearly 70 percent of Americans take at least one prescription drug, more than half take two, one in five Canadians has high blood pressure, and over 30 percent of Europeans are diagnosed with hypertension. Adolescent mental illness is also rising. Drawing on four decades of clinical experience, Maté argues that the prevailing understanding of "normal" health is flawed. It overlooks how trauma, stress, and pressures of modern living affect physical and mental health. He contends that Western medicine often treats symptoms rather than the whole person, failing to address how contemporary culture stresses the body, burdens the immune system, and disrupts emotional balance. Cowritten with his son Daniel, this book connects individual health problems to broader societal decline and provides guidance for health and healing.