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Dr. Gabor Maté challenges that ADHD is a disorder: "ADHD is learned 'tuning out' behavior from childhood stress that gets mislabeled as disease"

Big Brain Psychology

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51,132 views • 4 months ago •via X (Twitter)

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ADHD isn't a disorder. It's simply tuning out when you don't care about something. Gabor Maté says that your childhood may play a role:

ADHD isn't a disorder. It's simply tuning out when you don't care about something. Gabor Maté says that your childhood may play a role:

Stijn Noorman

412,105 views • 1 year ago

Gabor Maté flipped the entire ADHD conversation on Joe Rogan: He says ADHD is real, but it’s not a genetic disease like we’ve been told. It’s a coping mechanism. When a young child experiences stress (especially from parents) and can’t fight or escape, their developing brain learns to tune out. That pattern gets wired in. Years later we call it a “disorder” and reach for pills. Maté’s take: The brain develops in relationship. Stressed, unavailable parents → stressed, distracted kids. Fix the environment and family dynamics, and the symptoms often improve dramatically. We’ve spent decades treating ADHD as purely biological when the environment and early relationships might be playing a much bigger role than most doctors admit. This one really made me think. I’ve seen kids (and adults) labeled with ADHD whose home life was chaotic. The idea that it could be a survival adaptation rather than just “broken wiring” feels like it explains a lot. Do you see ADHD more as a genetic brain disease, a coping mechanism from early stress, or somewhere in between?

Gabor Maté flipped the entire ADHD conversation on Joe Rogan: He says ADHD is real, but it’s not a genetic disease like we’ve been told. It’s a coping mechanism. When a young child experiences stress (especially from parents) and can’t fight or escape, their developing brain learns to tune out. That pattern gets wired in. Years later we call it a “disorder” and reach for pills. Maté’s take: The brain develops in relationship. Stressed, unavailable parents → stressed, distracted kids. Fix the environment and family dynamics, and the symptoms often improve dramatically. We’ve spent decades treating ADHD as purely biological when the environment and early relationships might be playing a much bigger role than most doctors admit. This one really made me think. I’ve seen kids (and adults) labeled with ADHD whose home life was chaotic. The idea that it could be a survival adaptation rather than just “broken wiring” feels like it explains a lot. Do you see ADHD more as a genetic brain disease, a coping mechanism from early stress, or somewhere in between?

Camus

231,998 views • 4 months ago

She literally explained ADHD is a response to stress and not a genetic disease.

She literally explained ADHD is a response to stress and not a genetic disease.

Katyayani Shukla

169,412 views • 6 months ago

Hasan Minhaj asks Gabor Maté: "Why am I always late?" Maté diagnoses on the spot: ADHD—specifically a lack of time maturity. At 5 minutes to 8, your brain still feels like you have "eternity." Time sense didn't fully develop early because, for highly sensitive kids, parental stress (even prenatal) interferes with brain circuits. It's not inherited disease—it's a protective "tune out" response to overwhelm that wired in young. 96-sec clip from Hasan's podcast. Mind-blowing reframing of chronic lateness + disorganization as survival adaptation. ADHD folks (or those who relate): Does the "time blindness from early stress" explanation hit home? Ever noticed how sensitivity + childhood environment shaped your focus/time sense? Share below—no judgment, just real talk.

Hasan Minhaj asks Gabor Maté: "Why am I always late?" Maté diagnoses on the spot: ADHD—specifically a lack of time maturity. At 5 minutes to 8, your brain still feels like you have "eternity." Time sense didn't fully develop early because, for highly sensitive kids, parental stress (even prenatal) interferes with brain circuits. It's not inherited disease—it's a protective "tune out" response to overwhelm that wired in young. 96-sec clip from Hasan's podcast. Mind-blowing reframing of chronic lateness + disorganization as survival adaptation. ADHD folks (or those who relate): Does the "time blindness from early stress" explanation hit home? Ever noticed how sensitivity + childhood environment shaped your focus/time sense? Share below—no judgment, just real talk.

Camus

621,410 views • 6 months ago

Dr. Gabor Maté reframes ADHD with profound compassion: In stressed families, a highly sensitive child absorbs the tension → tunes out as a survival coping mechanism. These kids often have deep empathy, warm hearts, and hidden talents — but crave emotional security above all. Not "fix the behavior" — make them feel truly safe and understood. 48-sec clip hits the heart Parents/anyone touched by ADHD — does this resonate?

Dr. Gabor Maté reframes ADHD with profound compassion: In stressed families, a highly sensitive child absorbs the tension → tunes out as a survival coping mechanism. These kids often have deep empathy, warm hearts, and hidden talents — but crave emotional security above all. Not "fix the behavior" — make them feel truly safe and understood. 48-sec clip hits the heart Parents/anyone touched by ADHD — does this resonate?

Camus

278,794 views • 7 months ago

Gabor Maté on ADHD in kids: "It's not a disorder—it's a coping mechanism for a sensitive child in a stressed family." In this powerful clip, Maté reframes ADHD as the brain's way of protecting itself: - Sensitive, empathetic children absorb parental/family stress. - They "go absent-minded" to self-protect (not defiance or laziness). - Often highly talented, warm-hearted, deeply feeling. - They crave emotional security above all—understanding, not just behavior fixes or meds. "Once you realize a kid is like that... make them feel emotionally safe." A compassionate shift from "fix the child" to "heal the environment." Parents/teachers: Does this resonate with what you've seen in kids (or even yourself growing up)? What helped create real emotional safety? Share your thoughts/experiences respectfully below.

Gabor Maté on ADHD in kids: "It's not a disorder—it's a coping mechanism for a sensitive child in a stressed family." In this powerful clip, Maté reframes ADHD as the brain's way of protecting itself: - Sensitive, empathetic children absorb parental/family stress. - They "go absent-minded" to self-protect (not defiance or laziness). - Often highly talented, warm-hearted, deeply feeling. - They crave emotional security above all—understanding, not just behavior fixes or meds. "Once you realize a kid is like that... make them feel emotionally safe." A compassionate shift from "fix the child" to "heal the environment." Parents/teachers: Does this resonate with what you've seen in kids (or even yourself growing up)? What helped create real emotional safety? Share your thoughts/experiences respectfully below.

Camus

109,337 views • 6 months ago

Terrible stuff is happening now, just like it was in the 2nd World War, and the world’s not doing a thing, says Dr Gabor Maté Dr. Gabor Maté

Terrible stuff is happening now, just like it was in the 2nd World War, and the world’s not doing a thing, says Dr Gabor Maté Dr. Gabor Maté

Sarah Wilkinson

26,750 views • 9 months ago

It's not genes - it's trauma. Maté explains: "What's it like to grow up in a home with alcoholism?" The same stress patterns that created ADHD in the parent get passed to the child. The genes aren't for ADHD - they're for sensitivity to environment.

It's not genes - it's trauma. Maté explains: "What's it like to grow up in a home with alcoholism?" The same stress patterns that created ADHD in the parent get passed to the child. The genes aren't for ADHD - they're for sensitivity to environment.

Andrew Hopper

114,060 views • 1 year ago

1/ ADHD Isn't A Disease - It's A Survival Mechanism Maté uses this analogy: "If I were to stress you right now, what would be your options? Fight or flee." "But what if you couldn't? Your brain would tune out. It's normal." But here's where it gets shocking...

1/ ADHD Isn't A Disease - It's A Survival Mechanism Maté uses this analogy: "If I were to stress you right now, what would be your options? Fight or flee." "But what if you couldn't? Your brain would tune out. It's normal." But here's where it gets shocking...

Andrew Hopper

129,263 views • 1 year ago

“Being late isn’t about bad time management, it’s about not developing a proper sense of time as a kid.” Gabor Maté explained this to Hasan Minhaj during their conversation. He walked through the classic ADHD signs (trouble focusing, losing things, disorganization) and tied Hasan’s chronic lateness directly to early stress in his environment, especially as a highly sensitive child. Maté emphasized that ADHD isn’t primarily genetic — it’s often a response to stress during key developmental periods. It was fascinating watching Maté connect the dots so quickly and compassionately, turning a personal frustration into something understandable instead of shameful. Reframing ADHD and behaviors like chronic lateness as adaptive responses rather than character flaws can reduce self-blame and open the door to real healing. What’s something you’ve always struggled with that you’re starting to see differently now?

“Being late isn’t about bad time management, it’s about not developing a proper sense of time as a kid.” Gabor Maté explained this to Hasan Minhaj during their conversation. He walked through the classic ADHD signs (trouble focusing, losing things, disorganization) and tied Hasan’s chronic lateness directly to early stress in his environment, especially as a highly sensitive child. Maté emphasized that ADHD isn’t primarily genetic — it’s often a response to stress during key developmental periods. It was fascinating watching Maté connect the dots so quickly and compassionately, turning a personal frustration into something understandable instead of shameful. Reframing ADHD and behaviors like chronic lateness as adaptive responses rather than character flaws can reduce self-blame and open the door to real healing. What’s something you’ve always struggled with that you’re starting to see differently now?

Camus

36,688 views • 2 months ago

Gabor Maté: Gaza is "a genocide. And don't let anybody tell you that if you speak the truth, you're either a self-hating Jew or if you're not a Jew, that you're an antisemite. It's just the worst slander there is." - Writer, physician, Holocaust survivor Dr. Gabor Maté Full video:

Gabor Maté: Gaza is "a genocide. And don't let anybody tell you that if you speak the truth, you're either a self-hating Jew or if you're not a Jew, that you're an antisemite. It's just the worst slander there is." - Writer, physician, Holocaust survivor Dr. Gabor Maté Full video:

Katie Halper

99,883 views • 1 year ago

'ADHD is not a condition where you need a blue badge!' @AlexArmstrong and the Breakfast panel discuss news that councils are handing out disability badges to drivers with ADHD.

'ADHD is not a condition where you need a blue badge!' @AlexArmstrong and the Breakfast panel discuss news that councils are handing out disability badges to drivers with ADHD.

GB News

12,066 views • 3 months ago

that undiagnosed adhd is beating her ass 😭

that undiagnosed adhd is beating her ass 😭

sophia

243,107 views • 1 year ago

Dr. Russell Barkley delivers a clear, myth-busting message on ADHD that every parent needs to hear: ADHD is not caused by bad parenting. It is not learned behavior. It is not a character flaw. It is a neurogenetic developmental delay — largely inherited. Key facts from decades of research (including 40+ twin studies): - 80–91% of ADHD variation is genetic (comparable to height) - Rearing environment contributes zero to the trait - If a child has ADHD: 25–35% chance siblings have it, 78–92% chance identical twin has it - If an adult has ADHD: 40–54% chance their children have it - Up to 50% chance one parent sitting in the clinic has undiagnosed ADHD About 1/3 of boys may have an acquired form (e.g., injury), but in girls it’s far rarer — the vast majority is genetic. Barkley: “The public believes ADHD originates in bad parenting… yet twin studies show rearing environment has no influence.” If you or someone you love has ADHD, how did learning it’s primarily genetic (not parenting) change your understanding of it?

Dr. Russell Barkley delivers a clear, myth-busting message on ADHD that every parent needs to hear: ADHD is not caused by bad parenting. It is not learned behavior. It is not a character flaw. It is a neurogenetic developmental delay — largely inherited. Key facts from decades of research (including 40+ twin studies): - 80–91% of ADHD variation is genetic (comparable to height) - Rearing environment contributes zero to the trait - If a child has ADHD: 25–35% chance siblings have it, 78–92% chance identical twin has it - If an adult has ADHD: 40–54% chance their children have it - Up to 50% chance one parent sitting in the clinic has undiagnosed ADHD About 1/3 of boys may have an acquired form (e.g., injury), but in girls it’s far rarer — the vast majority is genetic. Barkley: “The public believes ADHD originates in bad parenting… yet twin studies show rearing environment has no influence.” If you or someone you love has ADHD, how did learning it’s primarily genetic (not parenting) change your understanding of it?

Camus

13,119 views • 6 months ago

Day care is causing the ADHD epidemic. That’s the provocative take from psychotherapist Erica Komisar on John Anderson’s podcast. She argues that putting very young babies into long hours of daycare creates chronic stress that flips the brain’s stress switch (the amygdala) on way too early. It goes into hypervigilant mode, eventually burns out, and leaves kids in a constant low-level fight-or-flight state, which gets labeled as ADHD. She says there’s no strong genetic cause for ADHD. It’s largely a response to the environment we’re putting kids in. This one really made me pause. We’re wiring tiny brains for survival mode before they’ve even had a chance to develop properly. If much of the ADHD explosion is coming from early chronic stress and separation, then rethinking daycare norms and early childcare could dramatically improve kids’ mental health long-term. What’s your experience or observation, do you think modern daycare schedules are contributing to rising ADHD rates?

Day care is causing the ADHD epidemic. That’s the provocative take from psychotherapist Erica Komisar on John Anderson’s podcast. She argues that putting very young babies into long hours of daycare creates chronic stress that flips the brain’s stress switch (the amygdala) on way too early. It goes into hypervigilant mode, eventually burns out, and leaves kids in a constant low-level fight-or-flight state, which gets labeled as ADHD. She says there’s no strong genetic cause for ADHD. It’s largely a response to the environment we’re putting kids in. This one really made me pause. We’re wiring tiny brains for survival mode before they’ve even had a chance to develop properly. If much of the ADHD explosion is coming from early chronic stress and separation, then rethinking daycare norms and early childcare could dramatically improve kids’ mental health long-term. What’s your experience or observation, do you think modern daycare schedules are contributing to rising ADHD rates?

Camus

232,429 views • 2 months ago

that undiagnosed adhd is beating her ass 💔💔

that undiagnosed adhd is beating her ass 💔💔

Spitfire 🦄

19,925 views • 10 months ago

He is suffering from ADHD - Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Meet Fahadh Faasil, the versatile actor of Indian Cinema known for his cult performances but there is an unknown side of him that he was clinically diagnosed with ADHD, a neurodiverse condition affecting behaviour and social interaction, manifests as restlessness, difficulty concentrating, and impulsive behaviour. Such people get zoned out and goes blank quiet often. There are several celebrities around the world diagnosed with ADHD such as Ryan Gosling, Michale Phelps, Simone Biles, Britney Spears and also Tom Holland the Spider-Man star!

He is suffering from ADHD - Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Meet Fahadh Faasil, the versatile actor of Indian Cinema known for his cult performances but there is an unknown side of him that he was clinically diagnosed with ADHD, a neurodiverse condition affecting behaviour and social interaction, manifests as restlessness, difficulty concentrating, and impulsive behaviour. Such people get zoned out and goes blank quiet often. There are several celebrities around the world diagnosed with ADHD such as Ryan Gosling, Michale Phelps, Simone Biles, Britney Spears and also Tom Holland the Spider-Man star!

Deepu

449,037 views • 16 days ago

I just listened to Gabor Maté on Steven Bartlett’s podcast and it genuinely made me rethink everything I thought I knew about ADHD. He said it plainly: No gene for ADHD has ever been found. Not one. What gets passed down isn’t the disorder itself — it’s sensitivity. Sensitive kids feel the environment more deeply. In a stressed home (and our society is making parents more stressed than ever), that sensitivity often turns into tuning out as a survival mechanism. That’s what gets labeled as ADHD. Recent stats for context: - In the US, ADHD diagnoses in children nearly doubled over the past 20 years — from ~6.1% in the late 1990s to 11.4% today (about 7 million kids aged 3–17). - Worldwide, prevalence in children is estimated at 5–7%. - In Europe, rates are generally lower but still significant, around 5–7% in many countries. The same child, raised in a calm, supportive environment, might become highly creative, empathetic, or a natural leader instead. We’ve been telling millions of kids (and adults) they have a “brain disease” when many are simply reacting to the stressed world we’ve built around them. This shifts the conversation from “what’s wrong with you” to “what happened to you?” It feels like a much more compassionate — and honest — way to look at it. Do you think many ADHD diagnoses today are more about environment and sensitivity than an innate “disorder”? Have you seen this play out in your own life or with people close to you?

I just listened to Gabor Maté on Steven Bartlett’s podcast and it genuinely made me rethink everything I thought I knew about ADHD. He said it plainly: No gene for ADHD has ever been found. Not one. What gets passed down isn’t the disorder itself — it’s sensitivity. Sensitive kids feel the environment more deeply. In a stressed home (and our society is making parents more stressed than ever), that sensitivity often turns into tuning out as a survival mechanism. That’s what gets labeled as ADHD. Recent stats for context: - In the US, ADHD diagnoses in children nearly doubled over the past 20 years — from ~6.1% in the late 1990s to 11.4% today (about 7 million kids aged 3–17). - Worldwide, prevalence in children is estimated at 5–7%. - In Europe, rates are generally lower but still significant, around 5–7% in many countries. The same child, raised in a calm, supportive environment, might become highly creative, empathetic, or a natural leader instead. We’ve been telling millions of kids (and adults) they have a “brain disease” when many are simply reacting to the stressed world we’ve built around them. This shifts the conversation from “what’s wrong with you” to “what happened to you?” It feels like a much more compassionate — and honest — way to look at it. Do you think many ADHD diagnoses today are more about environment and sensitivity than an innate “disorder”? Have you seen this play out in your own life or with people close to you?

Camus

84,989 views • 4 months ago

"There is a good reason why he doesn't want to debate with me..." Tonight's Uncensored has just dropped, featuring Gad Saad and Gabor Maté 👇 📺 Piers Morgan | Dr. Gabor Maté | Gad Saad

"There is a good reason why he doesn't want to debate with me..." Tonight's Uncensored has just dropped, featuring Gad Saad and Gabor Maté 👇 📺 Piers Morgan | Dr. Gabor Maté | Gad Saad

Piers Morgan Uncensored

104,918 views • 2 months ago