• Scattered Minds

  • The Origins and Healing of Attention Deficit Disorder
  • By: Gabor Maté MD
  • Narrated by: Daniel Maté
  • Length: 10 hrs and 59 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (230 ratings)

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Scattered Minds  By  cover art

Scattered Minds

By: Gabor Maté MD
Narrated by: Daniel Maté
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Publisher's summary

New York Times bestseller!

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, best-selling 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.

©1999 Gabor Maté (P)2023 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"One of the most comprehensive and accessible books about ADD... challenges many accepted notions about the condition." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Based on solid research and a strong humanistic sensibility... written with humor and compassion, from an unsparingly honest personal perspective." —John J. Ratey, M.D., coauthor of Driven to Distraction

What listeners say about Scattered Minds

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Medication

Side note: of course you would get worse after you stop taking your medication! Like dr. Russell Barkley’s example in his lecture says, you wouldn’t give a disabled person a ramp to get into the building then a week later take it away and say the ramp must not of worked. It is not a cure. It is not supposed to be a cure. It’s supposed to be a crutch.

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9 people found this helpful

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  • 03-27-23

Unread far too long

As one with adhd I wish I had found these words earlier, it all makes sense now. Good luck to those that suffer I hope this helps, it changed everything for me.

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7 people found this helpful

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DO NOT READ!!!

Not recommended unless you want to start feeling guilty and trying to find fault in your upbringing. This doctor takes opinions and presents them as fact over and over and some of them can be pretty damaging to one’s emotions. I wish I would never had read the book.

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6 people found this helpful

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This Dr view point on ADHD

I completely disagree with this Dr. beliefs and stance regarding what causes ADHD it is not 100% environmental and there is a genetic component. There is enough data to refute much of what he shares and this book is based on his findings not published studies or journals.

If you are looking for a book that gives you reason to point to environmental causes for ADHD you may find this book enlightening. I however found it lacking depth and facts.

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6 people found this helpful

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At age 53, MOST important read of my life

I’m a late discoverer of my own adhd… this book has been the single most important read of my life! Thank you Dr Mate for your dedication to this study!

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Incredible

I wish this was the book I read before having kids. All the “how to raise kids” stuff you read while pregnant is for people who are neurotypical, I found this so much more insightful for who I am and how I can be more present. There have been lots of books before this and there will be lots after but this was the one I felt most connected too. His overall view on adhd was from a personal perspective which I loved, can only read so many books from a diagnostic viewpoint.

The narration is good too, doesn’t make my brain turn off.

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5 people found this helpful

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This is the worst book on ADHD I have ever read

Unless you are an adult with ADHD looking to blame your parents for having it (not genetically speaking) I would highly recommend you not waste your time on this one.

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This should be a mandatory read

Holy cow. Loved this education more than I can say. Everything finally makes sense. So grateful for all your research and relentless work in compiling g this for the human race. So powerful and helpful in identifying ADHD behaviors and how to navigate a better life with this strong resource! Thanks so much. Love it!! I wish that everyone either diagnosed with ADHD or living with someone with ADHD reads this book. It will change your life… for the better!

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Excellent!

Crystal clear description of ADHD, origins concerning family , parenting and effects of this unique cognitive adaptation to stressors childhood.

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it was a very informative listen.

I really enjoyed the listen and could relate to several aspects. I want to say it helped me understand myself more and relate to the outside world more.

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