Book SummaryThe Myth of Normal, by Gabor Maté

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of The Myth of Normal

In The Myth of Normal, physician and trauma expert Gabor Maté 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,...

The Myth of Normal Summary 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...

The Myth of Normal Summary 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.

The Evolution of the Idea of Trauma

Before we delve deeper into Maté’s exploration of trauma, it’s worth putting this analysis in context by noting that mental health professionals’ definition of trauma has changed over time. In The Body Keeps the Score, Bessel van der Kolk writes that the variability in symptoms made trauma historically difficult to identify and diagnose. As a result, a unified diagnosis for trauma-related symptoms only emerged a few decades ago.

Van der Kolk writes that early trauma cases—primarily soldiers returning from World Wars I and II—were termed shell shock, war neuroses, or battle fatigue. In the...

The Myth of Normal Summary Part 3: How Social Conditions Hardwire Us for Disease

Having established the role of trauma in physical, emotional, and psychological health, Maté describes how certain deeply ingrained structures in Western society like racism, misogyny, and capitalism instill and reinforce that trauma. According to Maté, these factors don't just shape our societies—they have tangible, harmful effects on our physical and mental health.

The Embodied Trauma of Internalized Racism

Maté discusses the destructive impact of institutionalized racism, which teaches minorities to internalize hate and reject their identities—both overtly through direct discrimination and subtly through systemic bias and cultural messaging. According to Maté, this enforced self-rejection triggers profound psychological wounds that translate into physiological stress responses. This can lead to biological responses like elevated levels of cortisol and inflammation. Sustained over time, this can contribute to health problems such as heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes among affected populations.

For example, in a society that devalues Black womanhood, a Black teenage girl will encounter pervasive messages denigrating her racial identity, such as criticism...

The Myth of Normal Summary Part 4: Toward a Holistic Healing Model

Having explored the mind-body connection and the impact of social conditions on our health, Maté proposes a new approach to health and healing—one in which we integrate the parts of ourselves we’ve ignored, reconnect with our true selves, and regain a sense of wholeness. To move toward this new approach to wellness, Maté encourages the medical community to embrace a more comprehensive biopsychosocial model of health, to accept the role of trauma in shaping health outcomes, and to encourage patients to adopt nontraditional healing practices like yoga, mindfulness, and plant-based psychedelics.

Embrace the Biopsychosocial Model

A critic of the conventional biomedical model, Maté instead advocates the biopsychosocial model, which recognizes that our thoughts, feelings, social interactions, and environment profoundly impact our health. In this model, total health encompasses emotional balance, social connection, and a harmonious relationship with your surrounding environment. By moving toward this more holistic model, Maté argues, we can better address the root causes of illness rather than merely treating symptoms.

For example, a physician who decides to...

Shortform Exercise: Understand the Impact of Trauma on Your Health

Maté writes that the experience of personal trauma, as well as social conditions like institutional racism and ingrained misogyny, can hardwire you for disease. Reflect on what you’ve learned about the connection between trauma and physical health and how it compares with your personal experience.

Maté argues that many behaviors labeled as “abnormal” are reasonable responses to societal pressures. What is an example from your own life or someone else’s where a behavior considered “abnormal” might actually be a logical reaction to external stressors? Explain your answer.