Powerful ideas from top nonfiction
Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,500+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.
Get started
Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
Listen to the Intro
Scattered Minds summary
The Origins and Healing of Attention Deficit Disorder
24 mins
Brief summary
Scattered Minds by Gabor Mate is a book that sheds light on the prevalence of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). It examines the root causes and provides insights on how to manage symptoms.
Table of Contents
Scattered Minds
Summary of 4 key ideas
Audio & text in the Blinkist app
Key idea 1 of 4
ADD has three defining traits.
Let’s start at the beginning. What exactly is ADD?
Well, the disorder has three major traits: poor attention skills, deficient impulse control, and hyperactivity. We’ll go through each of these traits in turn, starting with poor attention skills.
What we mean here is an automatic “tuning out.” The mind is absent when its attention is required to complete tasks or process instructions. Inattentiveness takes many forms. A person with ADD might ask someone a question and zone out as they begin answering it. They might look up from a book and suddenly realize they can’t recall a single word they’ve read. Or they might enter a room and discover that they have no idea what they wanted to do in it.
Whatever its form, inattentiveness causes considerable practical hardships. Kids who can’t focus fall behind in school; adults with the same issue make silly mistakes at work and miss out on promotions. Young or old, people with ADD are constantly being chastised for failing to do things they forgot about the moment they agreed to do them.
Inattentiveness also interferes with people’s enjoyment of life. One patient told the author she had never understood music – it was a confusing, impenetrable wall of white sound. Another patient talked about how his ADD had isolated him socially. He said he felt like a human giraffe: his body lived in the same world as other people but it was as though his head were stuck in the clouds far above.
Inattentiveness is rarely total, though. In fact, doctors sometimes miss ADD diagnoses because their patients are capable of hyperattentive focus. For example, a child who is inattentive at school may happily spend hours poring over maps in the evening. The thing is, the ADD mind can muster enough focus and motivation to complete tasks if those tasks are intrinsically interesting. A child with ADD who finds geography fascinating will have no problems focusing on studying maps. But that focus doesn’t carry over to other tasks that don’t interest her – science class, say, or tidying her room. Also, hyper-attentiveness often involves shutting out the rest of the world to engage in a single absorbing activity. That, too, is a feature of poor attention regulation.
The second characteristic of ADD is impulsiveness. Poor impulse control also takes different forms. A child with ADD may speak before thinking, blurting out thoughts that others find rude or inappropriate. Or they may find it impossible to stop themselves from interrupting others. Adults with ADD are often impulse buyers. One man who the author diagnosed with ADD said he would impulse buy the entire world if he had the money. More generally, impulsiveness is often the cause of excessive risk-taking. Kids with ADD may jump off roofs on a whim; teens might binge drink alcohol they find in the kitchen cabinets for the same reason. An adult with ADD may drive recklessly fast for no other reason than she felt like it. As one of the author’s patients put it, the only thing that ever slowed her down was the siren of a police car.
The third and final trait of ADD is hyperactivity. Unlike the previous two traits, hyperactivity isn’t ubiquitous. Yes, many people with ADD can’t sit still – they fidget, drum their fingers, chew their nails, tap their feet, or can’t stop talking. But often, it’s entirely absent. Many girls with ADD, for instance, frequently go undiagnosed because their behavior isn’t a source of disturbance in classrooms: they sit still and appear to be listening to what their teachers are saying. The problem only comes to light much later when baffled parents start wondering why their well-behaved daughters are doing so poorly in school.
Some people with ADD display all three traits. In that case, they may be diagnosed with ADHD – attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. But the presence of any two of these three traits is sufficient for a physician or psychologist to diagnose ADD.
Now that we’ve defined the disorder, we can turn to its origins. What, in other words, “causes” ADD?
Want to see all full key ideas from Scattered Minds?
Key ideas in Scattered Minds
More knowledge in less time
Read or listen
Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
Find your next read
Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
Shortcasts New
We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.
What is Scattered Minds about?
Scattered Minds (1999) takes aim at a well-established myth: that attention deficit disorder, or ADD for short, is an inherited illness. It doesn’t deny the biological foundations of the disorder – genes also play a role. But it urges us to widen our perspective and pay closer attention to psychological and social factors that may be contributing to the symptoms. ADD often develops within specific familial and societal contexts. Recognizing this isn’t just about correcting the scientific record – it offers a key to effective treatment.
Scattered Minds Review
Scattered Minds (1999) by Gabor Maté explores the impact of childhood trauma on adult behavior and mental health, offering an illuminating perspective on the connection between mind and body. Here's why this book is worth reading:
- It provides deep insights into the long-lasting effects of childhood trauma, fostering empathy and understanding for those affected by it.
- Drawing on personal experiences and case studies, the author presents a comprehensive understanding of ADD and ADHD, debunking common misconceptions.
- Through the lens of compassion, it offers hope and guidance for individuals, families, and professionals dealing with the challenges of attention disorders.
Who should read Scattered Minds?
- Science aficionados
- People who have attention deficit disorder
- Anyone interested in the connection between society and psychology
Categories with Scattered Minds
Book summaries like Scattered Minds
People ❤️ Blinkist
Sven O.
It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.
Thi Viet Quynh N.
Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.
Jonathan A.
Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.
Renee D.
Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.
People also liked these summaries
4.7 Stars
Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
36 Million
Downloads on all platforms
10+ years
Experience igniting personal growth
Scattered Minds FAQs
What is the main message of Scattered Minds?
Scattered Minds explores the impact of ADHD and childhood trauma on adult lives, offering hope and understanding.
How long does it take to read Scattered Minds?
The reading time for Scattered Minds varies, but it typically takes several hours. You can read the Blinkist summary in just 15 minutes.
Is Scattered Minds a good book? Is it worth reading?
Scattered Minds is a worthwhile read, offering valuable insights into the connection between ADHD and childhood trauma.
Who is the author of Scattered Minds?
The author of Scattered Minds is Gabor Maté.
What to read after Scattered Minds?
If you're wondering what to read next after Scattered Minds, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- The Myth of Normal by Gabor Maté with Daniel Maté
- DIRTY LAUNDRY by Richard Pink & Roxanne Emery
- When the Body Says No by Gabor Maté
- ADHD 2.0 by Edward M. Hallowell and John J. Ratey
- The ADHD Advantage by Dale Archer
- In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts by Gabor Maté
- The Better Brain by Bonnie J. Kaplan and Julia J. Rucklidge
- Faster Than Normal by Peter Shankman
- Hold on to Your Kids by Gordon Neufeld & Gabor Maté
- Buddhism – Plain and Simple by Steve Hagen