Dr. Gabor Maté: The Shocking Link Between ADHD, Addiction, Autoimmune Diseases, & Trauma

Today, Mel’s dream guest joins her in the Boston studios: Dr. Gabor Maté, MD.

Dr. Maté is a world-renowned trauma expert, and shares things today unlike he has ever shared before.

This wide-ranging conversation covers ADHD, autoimmune diseases, anxiety, addiction, people pleasing, and trauma. 

Dr. Maté will take you on a deep dive into how your early life experiences can shape the way you feel and function today, both mentally and physically. 

This episode is about unlocking real healing and finding hope. 

Dr. Maté’s compassionate insights will show you how understanding your past can free you to make healthier choices right now.

You’re about to discover powerful, science-backed ways to understand and care for yourself in ways you never have before. 

So, whether you’re on this journey for yourself or to help someone you love, this episode is for you.

If you liked this episode and want to reprogram your brain for more happiness and fulfillment, listen to this episode next: #1 Neurosurgeon: How to Manifest Anything You Want & Unlock the Unlimited Power of Your Mind

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• Disclaimer

‍In this episode:

• 4:14: What world-renowned trauma expert, Dr. Gabor Maté, says about your childhood. 
• 7:41: The shocking things that are impacting every child’s brain development. 
• 12:28: Do you feel constantly stressed? Well, it’s rewiring your brain. 
• 15:54: Do you have a “sensitive kid” in your life? 
• 18:45: So what’s actually happening when your kids act out?
• 21:38: Mel’s ADHD revelation at 46 that changed her life. 
• 26:39: Everything you thought you knew about addiction is wrong, here’s why. 
• 31:18: Turns out the attempt to escape from pain is what creates more pain.
• 36:05: Healing requires help! You don’t have to do it alone. 
• 42:35: Maté shares his own struggles with addiction, and what you can do to break the cycle. 
• 47:32: The 4 shocking traits driving autoimmune disorders in women. 
• 52:10: When was the last time you felt truly connected to yourself? 
• 56:14: The 6 questions to ask yourself if you have a hard time saying “no”.
• 1:02:50: You can heal! The actionable steps you need to take for lasting change. 

Featured Expert: Dr. Gabor Maté, PhD

• Check out Dr. Maté’s website
• Order his books, The Myth of Normal & Scattered Minds
• Follow him on Instagram
• Listen to his TEDx Talk
• Dr. Maté’s ADHD research & resources

• Depress Anxiety: Childhood Social Environment, Emotional Reactivity to Stress and Mood and Anxiety Disorders across the Life Course
• Harvard University Center on the Developing Child: Early Childhood Mental Health
• Verywell Mind: How Does Your Environment Affect Your Mental Health?
• Psychological Bulletin: Risky families: Family social environments and the mental and physical health of offspring
• The British Journal of Psychiatry: How the environment affects mental health
• Attention Deficit Disorder Association: How To Get Diagnosed With ADHD: 7 Steps For Adults To Get An Accurate Evaluation
• Healthline: Can You Receive an ADHD Diagnosis as an Adult?
• The New York Times: Doctors Are Still Figuring Out Adult A.D.H.D.
• Forbes: Kids With ADHD Have Atypical Brain Wiring, NIH Study Finds
• Forbes: Unlocking the Power Of Neurodiversity: Embracing ADHD Awareness Month
• National Institute of Mental Health: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
• Mayo Clinic: Adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Molecular Psychiatry: Genetics of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
• Mayo Clinic: Drug addiction (substance use disorder)
• USA.gov: Find help for substance abuse
• American Addiction Centers: How to Deal With an Addicted Spouse
• The New York Times: 48 Million Americans Live With Addiction. Here’s How to Get Them Help That Works.
• The Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health: Facing Addiction in America
• The British Journal of Psychiatry: The neurobiology of substance use and addiction: evidence from neuroimaging and relevance to treatment
• Science & Society: Drug addiction: the neurobiology of behavior gone awry
• Stanford Medicine: Stanford Medicine-led study shows why women are at greater risk of autoimmune disease
• Brain, Behavior, and Immunity: Sex differences in the neuro-immune consequences of stress: Focus on depression and anxiety‍
• International Journal of Neuroscience: Harnessing neuroplasticity: modern approaches and clinical future