'It all starts with waking up... to what our bodies are expressing and our
minds are suppressing' Western countries invest billions in healthcare, yet
mental illness and chronic diseases are on a seemingly unstoppable rise. Nearly
70% of Americans are now on prescription drugs. So what is 'normal' when it
comes to health? Over four decades of clinical experience, renowned physician
and addiction expert Dr Gabor Maté has seen how health systems neglect the role
that trauma exerts on our bodies and our minds. Medicine often fails to treat
the whole person, ignoring how today's culture stresses our bodies, burdens our
immune systems and undermines emotional balance. Now, in his most ambitious and
urgent book yet, Dr Maté connects the dots between our personal suffering and
the pressures of modern-day living - with disease as a natural reflection of a
life spent growing further and further apart from our true selves. But, with
deep compassion, he also shows us a pathway to health and healing. Filled with
stories of people in the grip of illness or in the triumphant wake of recovery,
this life-affirming book, co-written with his son Daniel, proves true health is
possible - if we are willing to reconnect with each other and our authentic
selves.