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

Maté contends that many chronic illnesses and mental health conditions are not random misfortunes or solely genetic disorders but adaptations to emotionally inhospitable environments. Drawing on clinical case studies and epidemiological research, he argues that Western culture’s emphasis on productivity, conformity, and emotional suppression fosters widespread dysregulation and distress. Illness, then, can be understood as a response to a system that undermines authenticity and attachment. For Maté, authenticity (the freedom to fully express one’s emotions) and attachment to others are the two most fundamental human needs. In practical terms, this perspective calls for a shift in both personal and institutional approaches to health. Rather than treating disease as an isolated malfunction, practitioners might ask patients about their life stories, trauma histories, and emotional environments. For individuals, it invites introspection: What aspects of their personalities represent adaptations for survival, and what has been compromised in the process of adaptation? Educational institutions and workplaces could incorporate trauma-informed practices that view behavior through the lens of survival and adaptation, rather than pathology alone.