From renowned mental health expert and speaker Dr. Gabor Maté, Scattered Minds
explodes the myth of attention deficit disorder (ADD/ADHD) as
genetically based—and offers real hope and advice for children and
adults who live with the condition.
In this
breakthrough guide to understanding, treating, and healing Attention
Deficit Disorder, Dr. Gabor Maté, bestselling author of The Myth of Normal, and himself diagnosed with ADD:
- Demonstrates that the condition is not a genetic “illness” but a response to environmental stress
- Explains
that in ADD, circuits in the brain whose job is emotional
self-regulation and attention control fail to develop in infancy – and
why
- Shows how ‘distractibility’ is the psychological product of life experience
- Allows
parents to understand what makes their ADD children tick, and adults
with ADD to gain insights into their emotions and behaviors
- Expresses optimism about neurological development even in adulthood
- Presents a program of how to promote this development in both children and adults
Whereas
other books on the subject describe the condition as inherited, Dr.
Maté believes that our social and emotional environments play a key role
in both the cause of and cure for this condition. In Scattered Minds, he describes the painful realities of ADD and its effect on children as well as on career and social paths in adults.
While
acknowledging that genetics may indeed play a part in predisposing a
person toward ADD, Dr. Maté moves beyond that to focus on the things we
can control: changes in environment, family dynamics, and parenting
choices. He draws heavily on his own experience with the disorder, as
both an ADD sufferer and the parent of diagnosed children. Providing a
thorough overview of ADD and its treatments, without blaming anyone, Scattered Minds is essential and life-changing reading for the millions of ADD sufferers in North America today.
