Physician Gabor Mate Gives His Analysis on ADHD and Anxiety

I was severely traumatized years ago as a teenage, got diagnosed with ADHD. Also suffered severe anxiety and mental disorder. Spent my whole life fighting ADHD. Not until my wife recommended me to psilocybin mushrooms treatment. Psilocybin treatment saved my life honestly. 8 years totally clean. Much respect to mother nature the great magic shrooms.

The idea of someone with ADHD actually tuning out there environment due to stress and it’s considered a coping mechanism makes a lot of sense

“Anxiety is just future problem solving”. Very well said Joe, I can’t tell you how many times stressing out about something then coming up with different scenarios for solutions did just that

Psychedelics are just an exceptional mental health breakthrough. It's quite fascinating how effective they are against depression and anxiety. Saved my life.

This guy delivered me at birth in what was a complicated pregnancy for my mother in Vancouver in 1986. Thanks, Doc.

This was one of the hardest things I’ve watched on Rogan. I have high functioning autism and I am very sensitive and loving, so naturally my parents neglected me when I needed to be cared for. I am almost 50 years old now and I’m just starting to understand that the things my parents tried to put on me were actually their issues, not mine.

I love Joe’s silly episodes with his friends but it’s episodes like this that keep me coming back

I was diagnosed in 1983, at 6 years old, when the concept was still new. Everyone thought I was just a stubborn kid and many adults even berated me, telling me things like, “there’s nothing wrong with you, you’re just a selfish brat.” As an adult, my impulsive nature puts me in a position where I address issues before I finish my current issue and I’ll end up with 10 unresolved issues by the end of the day. I read a paragraph and by the time I finish I can’t recall what I read. At 47, I’ve finally been able to make the steps to see a psychiatrist and get prescribed vyvanse, which has been a fantastic and refreshing change.

I think Joe’s interpretation of what they’ve labeled “anxiety” is pretty standardised, for those who’ve never really been cursed with it. Anxiety isn’t being concerned generally with how the future might pan out, or being in a state of nervous anticipation of something happening. It’s the feeling of mortal dread, in the pit of your stomach, every day, despite no rational reasoning. It’s that feeling right as the rollercoaster tips, that turns your whole body inside out. For no rational reason. It’s sweating uncontrollably, twitching or itching like a mother fucker. For no apparent reason other than you’re outside amongst people. It’s constantly feeling like a family member is going to die every time they step out the house, despite rationally knowing it’s extremely unlikely. It’s a chronic and very debilitating issue that no one who’s had experiences with it, would describe as a normal part of life. It turns people into fantastic actors though. Sending good vibes to anyone else trying to work past that shit every day just to leave the house. 👊🏻

I recently got diognoised at 27 with adhd, i never thought my child hood was bad because i knew so many people who had it worse, but listening to this im realising i was extremely stressed all the time because of my parents and i was alone 99 percent of the time. Damn.

Listening to this wise man I understood so much about my motherhood....the mistakes I have made with my older daughter ...She was my first I was just overwhelmed unhappy tired mother...I never gave her enough support and emotions and mother's love....she hasnt got any ADHD but the emotional distance between us in noticable....she has problems with showing emotions at all to anybody in tje family....if I could turn back the time...if I knew then what I know now...jezzzzz

I grew up with ADHD and anxiety and i realized that it was from the trauma of my childhood

I already started reading Mate’s new book, “The Myth of Normal.” This man is channeling such a necessary and incredibly transformative energy which is to help us heal ourselves. He synthesizes the best minds, the research, as well as our deepest traditions and cultural roots in showing us that suffering and despair can be redirected to a place of hope and prosperity for all. I’m so grateful for people like him. 🙏

His explanation makes sense for me a person with social anxiety. As a kid I had a lot of stress put on me. I couldn't run away or fight back so what I did is shut down and not say anything. Now whenever I'm put under social stress I shut down and don't talk. On top of that people look at you weird when you shutdown, so now you are expecting negative feedback from your peers so you get even more anxious.

As someone who has ADHD and MANY family members undiagnosed, I have to say this is an unkind and opinion based take on what can be a life-changing medical condition. I used to be very anti medicine. I think we need to be open to all the possibilities. Growing up without medication, undiagnosed, uncared for, this condition impacted my life so negatively. My relationships suffered. I was depressed. I felt unsuccessful. I had no confidence. No matter how hard I tried I failed because my brain just couldn’t stay where I was. It wandered, always. I see my children now and I think to myself, how can I help them to feel successful, have the best relationships, and grow up to have the best life possible? I can’t close my eyes to the fact that they might need help and I think that that is when my eyes were opened and I had to eat my words. I think every case is different and I think everyone is entitled to the best life possible . That may look very different from person to person, but out of kindness, never say never.

Today, I'm in my fourth year of medical school. Looking back, I remember my fifth-grade teacher who, despite her best intentions, didn't understand the diverse homes and backgrounds we came from. She didn't see the potential in a kid like me, labeled with special needs. To anyone feeling stuck and doomed to fail, take your time to learn. You’ll fail, but what you take from failure is what ultimately matters. For me, those lessons led to my acceptance into a better school for magnet students. At this new school, I wasn’t seen as a kid with special needs, but rather as someone with ADHD and anxiety. My new school provided the resources to help me thrive and be successful. They offered specialized programs, counseling, and tools that helped me manage my ADHD and anxiety, making me feel valued and capable. Today, I’m grateful I didn’t let a flawed education system put me in a box. I want to remind everyone that no matter how difficult the journey, persistence and the right support can lead to success. Cheers, everyone ❤.

I’m 43 and crying. I was diagnosed at 18 and this is the biggest truth I’ve every heard. I have known for years the thoughts and impulses that distract and ruin me are unwanted coping mechanisms from my childhood.

My friend has been diagnosed with panic and social anxiety disorder. I grew up with this lad, watched him go from a confident young man who spent 7 years in the military to someone that struggles to leave the house. He can’t go shopping on his own and has extremely bad panic attacks. He’s had quite a few panic attacks when I’ve been with him, he even got taken to hospital in an ambulance a few times. It’s horrible seeing the terror on his face when he has a bad one as I know he’s thinking this is it I’m dead. His anxiety is that bad he come out in a rash on his feet and hands mainly and his stomach problems are that bad he passes horrendous amounts of blood, and it’s all because of his anxiety. It’s a terrible thing to have when it is severe. I went into a shop with him last year, 7 in the morning, when it was quiet. He only wanted to buy one thing but the guy kept asking him questions and he just froze and the colour in his face went white and he just stood there frozen, he couldn’t even get his words out to the fella. The guy realised something was wrong and started talking to me asking if my mate was ok. It’s tough to watch a lad I grew up with and loved and respected so much suffer this way.

I was diagnosed with adhd at a young age and watching this made me pretty emotional; It affects my memory,emotional availability,relations and even my morality because I've noticed that some of the sociopathic tendencies I've picked up from my father and then some of the narcissistic aspects from my mother. Often times I act cold and very distant as a way coping mechanism on top of my brain adopting a very "out of sight, out of mind" mentality. It leeches to objects I put down and spans all the way to names or even entire people out of fear of emotional harm. I confide in my own company so much that for a very long time I wasn't aware I lost all my acquaintances, even now I feel the people I talk to were added as a masquerade of normalcy.

I absolutely love Gabor Mate's work. His book "When the Body Says NO" opened my eyes when I was in my early 20's. It validated so much about my upbringing and life circumstances. I had to be "tough" and not express or have needs because my parents were so so stressed and struggling. My body paid the price of this denial and I developed stage 2 adrenal fatigue at age 25. I spent years trying to heal my body from the stacked layers of post traumatic stress. I love my family and I sympathize with their own circumstances but it feels liberating to acknowledge that my parents did their best but it wasn't the best for me.