Atypical MD

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by Heather White

Dr. Gabor Maté - Physician, bestselling author, public speaker

photo by Jaime Kowal

As a man in his mid-60s, Dr. Gabor Maté could be forgiven for wanting to turn back the clock. But for Gabor, who has attention deficit disorder (ADD), it isn’t about being younger, but about ridding himself of emotional baggage. “People tend to accumulate a lot of baggage, and they become attached to it,” he explains. “That’s the essence of old age.”

Gabor’s bestselling book Scattered Minds explains his unique perspective on ADD. He is adamant that ADD is not a disease, but a by-product of human development. When social, cultural, and familial circumstances are less than optimal, ADD is one of the negative results. Dropping baggage means shedding the responses (such as anxiety and nervousness) programmed into people as a result of their environment.

“As we drop old programming, we move closer and closer to the essence, the core, of who we really are. And we therefore stop seeing ourselves as an accumulation of all our programming.”

Gabor also treats drug addicts and people with HIV at the Downtown Eastside’s Portland Hotel. With all of his patients, he searches for the cause of their illness, rather than just treating the symptoms. His second book, When the Body Says No, addresses emotional suppression and its negative effects on the body. Both books provide insight into why letting go of emotional baggage is key to enjoying life.

Gabor says he gets out of bed every morning for two reasons. On a professional level, it’s for the possibilities that come with helping people understand themselves and their lives.

And on a personal level?

“What gets me out of bed is life itself. The more baggage I drop, the more joyful life gets.”

—Heather White