Parenting Does Not Cause ADHD: Dr. Mate' is Wrong Again

[@Goldendoodle78]

Thank you for exposing Mate for his irresponsible pontificating without evidence. He should write his thoughts and opinions about ADHD in his journal, not teach them as if they are fact. He's leading people astray misunderstanding and diminishing ADHD and it has real world consequences. He doesn't get it and isn't doing the work to learn about it.

[@dratatianacostella7985]

I came from the most loving and supportive family you can imagine and my ADHD is extreme , so I am a living proof that Dr Mate is completely wrong

[@jdak537]

I also grew up in a loving and supportive family, with parents who were genuinely doing their best to raise me and my siblings equitably. I'm the only one of three kids who has ADHD. We all seem to be a bit neurodivergent in different ways from each other. Same parents. Same parenting. Same home environment. Three different outcomes. Our parents each have some ADHD traits (probably both mild or sub-clinical). I definitely have ADHD (moderate), but my siblings (one biological and the other adopted) definitely do not.

[@Mjr._Kong]

@@dratatianacostella7985 n=1

[@dratatianacostella7985]

@@jdak537 in my family my mom is probably mild and my father moderate as my brother , mine is severe as my sons and my husband’s , my oldest and I have high IQ too and that unfortunally makes the emotional disregulation even worst..

[@Verdalidade]

I would take my example and say that he is almost completely right, and I just don't say completely because I haven't yet had access to what he meant about hypersensitive children.

[@jolandarama6403]

As a Mom with ADHD it is so good to hear this information, I felt so much guilt and shame as a girl with undiagnosed ADHD and it was overwhelming to hear that I could have caused my two daughters to have ADHD as a result of my parenting or an issue in their shared environment.

[@erindefreitas9826]

Thank you Dr Barkley. Raising an AdHD child is difficult enough without us parents being strapped with the addition burden of stigma/shame that we caused it. 😡😢

[@Skeazix]

Yes, exactly. ❤

[@alkiviadisiv]

I thank dr mate for existing because for me i have kind of the same ideas, the voice in my head that says 'oh it's not your fault, it's everyone around you that has the problem'. If dr mate didn't write about these, and dr russel didn't react to these i wouldn't have the chance for these two voices inside me, taking form in the real world, to debate and i wish for dr russels voice inside me to prevail

[@skepticsquirrel7560]

In Egypt a major youtube show الدحيح covered ADHD for the first time and the source they used for 40 minutes of their 1 hour video was based on Gabor Mate’s Scattered minds. And it was written by an Anesthesiologist and “fact checked” by two science journalists with medical background. As an Egyptian ADHD advocate, online support group manager and content creator (under a different name) I can’t tell you how incredibly frustrating it is to see the impact of Mate’s work on people’s perception of ADHD. Unfortunately the idea that if ADHD is caused by trauma and therefore could somehow be treated or cured by treating trauma, is very appealing for people in a low resource low quality education and conservative environment. At least thats how I am trying to make sense of it. Im beyond sad that the science of ADHD is rejected far more than the stigmatizing nonsense of these charlatans. And that their voices reach further and louder to people. So sincerely thank you for being an authoritative voice for us and debunking these dubious claims.

[@Verdalidade]

You don't know what trauma means or what Dr Mate says about the meaning of trauma to say this. Read the book "The myth of normal" written by him and you will see how wrong he is.

[@GriffinWulf]

My uneducated opinion is Mate has an issue with correlation vs causation, i think an ADHD child in a volatile environment is more likely to "act out" and get diagnosed, or immature parents are more likely to assert that the problem is with the child not the family system and sends the kid to the doctor creating a confirmation bias. or maybe not, my degree is in art lol.

[@Distracted_Genius]

Agreed!

[@zak-a-roo264]

Your art degree may be more beneficial to adhd than anything Mate does.

[@purpledressteacher4887]

You sure sound more educated than the rest of us ❤

[@1Gr8Editrix]

Ironically, the parents might be "stressed" because they also (at least one of them) have ADHD.

[@Kate-rv1id]

Especially since a lot of them are undiagnosed and untreated due to lack of awareness in past decades.

[@valtracey6180]

You’ve absolutely hit the nail on the head - while there is definitely a genetic element, it is the parenting style that triggers the symptoms in their children - the higher the stress, the more acute the symptoms - they are on a spectrum, so when all is calm and all is well, the symptoms calm down in equal measure. Parents with ADHD are almost always going to be highly stressed, unless they have had treatment and are actively addressing their own symptoms on a daily basis - eg meditation, yoga, healing breathwork etc While patenting does not cause ADHD, stressed parents worsen the symptoms - for themselves and for their children. This is a crucial point Dr Barkley seems to continuously overlook.

[@paxdriver]

My mother and grandmother, cousins and aunts and uncle on the same side all exhibit signs of ocd/ADHD except a tiny few, and personalities/upbringing couldn't be further for one another. It's so clearly and obviously genetic to me having dozens of examples in my immediate half family alone lol I wish more people had the same anecdotal reference as I did because it really helped me realize very early on that people are just different, and we're all net positive benefit contributors to society in many shapes and forms. Dysfunction is mainly dysfunction when we presume the rigid normal life of 9-5, school, work retirement is fundamental or natural. Clearly tribes benefit from subsets of the population having brains develop differently (not better or worse). The dysfunction is due to the strict system more than actual life disability. I think we often forget that civil society is far from natural or normal, it's just efficient and that efficiency leads to comforts, protection, and emphasis on wealth accumulation relatively recently, in evolutionary terms.

[@neithere]

Yeah, not like you'd have any problems in the good old times when you'd forget you were supposed to gather berries, got distracted by some interesting bird, followed it, got lost and died. But yes, society has to become more fair. If only there weren't so many closeminded conservative people.

[@JaredKrauss]

You're the main reason I get on KZbin these days. And a big reason why I have got to where I am in my life with regards to feelings about my ADHD. I love your authentic down to earth vibes also. It's like if my dad actually knew how to just be chill and talk and have emotions and stuff, it's great, great modelling. Otherwise I just get on to KZbin to watch pre and post match press conferences with Ruben Amorim as that's the only good thing about being a Manchester United fan right now.

[@julietteelisabeth1734]

My dad had two sets of children which he left when they were tiny. I was the younger child and second family but oldest when left at only just 4. These families were brought up not only in separate houses in separate families in different parts of the UK with vastly different affluence and even more interestingly, two decades apart. These half siblings are both diagnosed ADHD. Myself and my half-sister who are 19 years in age different. Not only that, the grandchildren of my father are diagnosed ADHD, the half-cousins, our children. The contact between the siblings only happened at adulthood. My father, who my half-sister calls genetic Jim had no contact with her and no impact in her upbringing but did have a small amount of contact with me. If that isn't an argument for a genetic reason for ADHD I dont know what is.

[@marriageandfamilywarrior7896]

Thanks for all your work Dr. Barkley! I was wondering if you could do a video on ADHD and Auditory Processing Disorder at some point. I appreciate your expertise as I refer a lot to your work in my clinical work with clients

[@vihmaussivenitaja]

Uh, I think Mate is a good person and I appreciate his advocacy against war crimes, also his philosophy regarding trauma has good points, but he should stop talking about adhd. I think he has a profound mix up going on - he, as someone more acquainted with trauma, is looking everything through trauma lens, and therefore what he's describing are not actual adhd cases, but complex trauma cases. Clinically this is a common mix-up - complex trauma is often misdiagnosed as adhd, especially when the trauma history is not know to the clinician, because some symptoms look very similar on surface level, and there usually isn't enough time to really investigate (cPTSD patients can often score above threshold in adhd questionnaires, but the symptoms can actually be explained with the trauma). I am sad that he hasn't rethought this and backed down :(

[@vihmaussivenitaja]

I have to add regarding the genetics - how does Mate explain that same families often have both autism and adhd running in them kinda parallel?!

[@swemedam1891]

have you read Mate's books? Are you aware he is diagnosed with ADHD, as well as his three children. Dr. Mate NEVER explicitly denies that genetics are involved with the development of ADHD. In fact he acknowledges the important role that genetics play. He emphasizes the other factors that contribute to the origins of the disorder. I respect both these men's work, but a public forum like this is not where a scientist should be calling out another scientist. Inciting needless emotion amongst the followers. I agree that he is well versed in trauma, but who are you to judge him and his abilities? have you gone though medical school. Have you delivered babies, treated substance use disorder in a massively drug ridden city? Let's stop criticizing and call for better collaboration between professionals. Let's unite. Calling professionals out for their perceived mistakes is unproductive and promotes unnecessary emotion.

[@RadikalBanal]

@@swemedam1891 the whole thing about science is to proof things through disprooving whats wrong.

[@go-farm]

Thanks

[@Kadotus]

Perhaps Dr. Mate should try bloodletting as a cure for ADHD next.

[@Slechy_Lesh]

classy

[@Mjr._Kong]

Attentive parents would have been nice.

[@swemedam1891]

this is an unequivocally rude comment. You know neither Dr. Mate or Russell Barkley, PhD. how about try and post something productive. For those of us with disabling ADHD this is offensive. Also, it's kind of funny you say that, because ADHD has the most treatments available of any of the DSM V condtions. So, maybe bloodletting would work for some.

[@neithere]

The person was obviously joking about Dr. Mate's ignorance. I'm not offended by that, I'm offended by doctors spreading misinformation about my condition.

[@Kadotus]

@ This, very much. I have ADHD myself, and my kids have ADHD. I truly hate all the misinformation and disinformation about it, especially when it comes from people with some authority on the subject.

[@jasin95]

I'm glad to have found your channel. I have been listening to the e-book of his republished Scattered Minds (2023) since watching the podcast with Theo Von. I can't find the exact quote but in this new version he does acknowledge genetics can create a predisposition but he disagrees that it is the main cause. I don't know if that's a change he made in the book since 1999. I've enjoyed parts of his e-book so far. He does mention the lack of stimulation playing part in insomnia. But he has an interesting speculation that insomnia could be caused by separation anxiety, and that sleep can be easier when emotionally secure. I do have a much easier time sleeping when I feel accepted. Towards the end of the book, he states that medication shouldn't be the first-line treatment. Which is crazy since ADHD medication has such a high rate of successful treatment of symptoms. He has had a different life path than others but it doesn't excuse the need for science as you say.

[@swemedam1891]

Actually, it is standard practice that medication is not the first line of treatment in many cases. This varies. If emotional dysregulation exists that can be exacerbated by sympathomimetics like Ritalin or Adderall or Vyvanse. I've experienced this the past 2.5 years of treatment. Treating emotional dysregulation is paramount. I spent 8.5 years, my entire adolescence freaking out at my parents because I never should have been taking stimulant medications. Flip side, they are highly effective for many of my ADHD symptoms even while pushing heightened emotional dysregulation. Medication has to be a personal decision. If you've never had amphetamines they come with a warning on the bottle that states how the medication may change your personality. That's big. And medication should not be taken lightly for ADHD or any medical matter. Science isn't just research and statistics. Science includes lived experience. Dr. Gabor Mate's book and work is in a different lane and therefore comparing the two for purposes of proving a point should be done in the professional realm, not this public forum where literally millions of people can be misled. This is not the way for professionals, scientists, doctors, researchers to advance their studies and progress in their field. Advancing science requires collaboration. This is not collaboration. Stop confusing people and work with your esteemed college Russell Barkley! : )

[@jasin95]

@@swemedam1891 Dr. Barkley's videos about Dr. Mate are meant to correct what Dr. Mate has said in recent podcasts. ADHD has been shrouded by misinformation for years and it has gotten better recently. It would not be good to take a step back in the common understanding of the condition. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mICUan-Nf5WNpK8&lc=Ugzss4IMMMOIvQ-6V914AaABAg.9xGAlFYiQR_A1kJcPCIeti

[@mlebrooks]

Thank you this is like blaming poor parenting for autism

[@Dancestar1981]

Exactly they used to call them refrigerator parents and it’s all completely bs

[@braincuriosities]

I've been talking against Mate's idea for the past 2 years on my socials too, it's exhausting. I even talked to Dr. Lao from the Institute of Evolutionary Biology who led a study on the genetics of ADHD taking samples from pre-neanderthal humans. And yet people still talk about Mate's theory.

[@braincuriosities]

Parenting causes ADHD at the moment of conception where genetic information of both parents meet and create the zygote xD

[@valtracey6180]

I’m sorry Dr Barkley, but you are completely overlooking a crucial point, which is a key part of Dr Mates theory and experience (his own personal experience with ADD). While patenting style do not cause ADHD, it has a huge influence on the severity of symptoms, and whether or not the symptoms are triggered in children. Calm parents have a calming effect on children with ADHD, reducing symptoms significantly, while stressed parents, particularly parents who have untreated ADHD themselves, have the opposite effect - stress not only triggers symptoms but it can make them a hundred times worse. I too have witnessed this in my own family - I am a grandmother so I have had the opportunity to observe and reflect on three generations with ADHD, and to reflect on my own upbringing before we knew what ADHD was. There is a wisdom that comes when you have witnessed so many battles, meltdowns, and violent outbursts - literally years and years of stress and distress, and then you marry that wisdom with all the research available today and you know, better than anyone, because you’ve lived it and continue to live it. We’ve had several premature deaths (mostly due to addiction) but my hope now is to save my grandchildren from a life of endless suffering.

[@Skeazix]

His book made me feel terrible, even though as I read it I knew it went against all evidence. I already have enough mom guilt. And I KNOW the parenting I received was excellent. I wonder how he looked his own mother in the eye when he published that.

[@mirygalas6508]

My ADHD developed during voids of violent silence in my childhood. I know this now because the way I experience my physical brain and body, as well as my mind during active moments of ADHD, mainly utter confusion, started developing exactly at the moments of silence I mentioned. Maybe evidence may indicate that ADHD doesn't come from bad parenting, but that evidence can never include all cases as clinical research is always limited to a segment of the population. Regardless who may win this argument, it has been deeply healing to know myself in such deep way. No medicine could have gotten me to such insight, realization, and healing.

[@swemedam1891]

right on. This shouldn't be a debate, it should be a collaboration.

[@binghobson7122]

Thank you Dr B, this all makes such complete sense. I couldn’t agree with you more.

[@Miranda_andariM]

What do you think of *anxiety as a coping mechanism* ? It is a hit-and-miss bullet, sure, but often by ramping up tension from within, one can get stuff done that otherwise would be neglected.

[@kathrynturnbull990]

Anxiety motivates certain behaviours, up until the point that it becomes paralyzing. I don't think there's much dispute about this. The types of behaviours that anxiety motivates are not always helpful though, depending on the situation.

[@ranaldthurgood4875]

I'm 72 and at times during my adult life, schizophrenia, homosexuality, and anorexia were all supposedly caused by bad mothering. Why not ADHD as well? At least Mate has the open-mindedness to let fathers share the blame. (For the literal minded, there is irony here.)

[@gg_ingy]

(Haven't watched the video yet) I don't know anything about the cause. No adhd/autism on my mothers side of the family (she has like 12 siblings, i got so many cousins, i don't even know all of them), but my father's side it's all autism and adhd. I have turbo combination adhd, my youngest son has autism, my father's side cousin has adhd, my brother's oldest son has autism, and his youngest (10 y/o) shows signs of adhd. It leads me to believe it's just genetic. And the fact that autism and adhd can also often occur together, makes me believe those have some type of relationship. My father and i barely had a relationship, because i thought he just didn't care about me (we didn't talk for 20 years pretty much). Now that i have educated myself more, i'm 99% sure he has audhd. I have started to speak to him again, luckily he is still alive so we can still talk.

[@forisma]

Thank you dr Barkley. Could you please include the link to the first video in your description?

[@ashishjain149]

Dr Russell, pleasure to hear from you and in awe of your lucid clarity on this issue. How to understand for those who are suffering from adult ADHD what the normal executive function brain does in day to day things? For ADHD, Is it both remembering from what you know along with what you collect from your environment both are equally affected? Working in a job what does non ADHD boss perceive in an ADHD person and a non ADHD, is it lack of achieving anything, is it incoherent in speaking about tasks, is it not able to do task on time, is it not able to convey or present important issues?

[@victordiez6841]

What is the Tally Count for Gabor being wrong?

[@swemedam1891]

So you base your rights and wrongs off of youtube videos? (keep in mind, I follow Russell Barkley and am grateful for his work). You should check yourself and see if your method of obtaining the "Right Tally" is in line with the scientific method and research procedures. I believe you will find that your method lacks substance. Have you ever read a book by Gabor Mate or Russell Barkley?

[@victordiez6841]

@@swemedam1891 I respect you objectivity but I will say this: I don't like Gabor, I am biased.

[@go-farm]

Twin studies are great, but what about environments where the adhd child is adopted by non adhd parents or alternatively, studies where one or both adoptive parents are adhd but the adhd child is not 🤔

[@vanessaweiland3291]

Please do a lit review on New-onset ADHD in perimenopause!

[@iamshelbyeiford]

What if the trauma is being passed down through the genes? Perhaps my son has no big traumas, but his grandparents and great grandparents did… and that trauma is being stored in the genes that are getting passed along? Potentially a mutation of sorts. Or simply living and existing in our culture the way it is designed IS big T traumatic for some? Could both theories be true somehow?

[@jakubbarakomski7378]

Hello. I am watching right now so pardon me if my comment is answered later. I completely agree with the thesis that parenting won't cause ADHD. But regarding the childhood and ADHD correlation. There are a lot of books about C-PTSD, and how many symptoms of C-PTSD can manifest as symptoms similar to ADHD, according to some trauma informed people like Pete Walker and Peter A Levine. I completely agree that ADHD is a genetic disorder, rooted in neurodivergence. But as a person diagnosed firstly with PTSD related to my upbringing and environment, it is hard for me to distinguish which of ADHD like symptoms are based in ADHD and which of them are just early onset of trauma response. Would be lovely to see Your take on it. I am diagnosed with both PTSD and ADHD, and being evalued for OCD due to extreme obsessions/ruminations. It reminds me of the philosophy questions about the egg and chicken. Since my trauma onset happened during my early development, 4-5 years old. It is hard to distinguish which symptom is coming from which disorder and if my ADHD diagnosis is valid. ADHD is a developmental disorder, but C-PTSD is also characterized by multiple ADHD -like symptoms as a trauma response during childhood. Slightly off topic, but heavily inspired train of thought based on what I heard from Your video so far. I deeply enjoy and am grateful for Your educated content about ADHD

[@JWildberry]

Just a fellow viewer, but I think most people with more than one diagnosis feels that way, because of the overlap in symptoms. We just have to accept that some symptoms can stem from either diagnosis, or possibly both. I do the same thing you do: I try to put my symptoms in different mental folders. But for certain symptoms, I have to put a copy in both folders instead of one. I think the important thing is to focus on the root cause here. You say "if my ADHD diagnosis is valid," which is a common problem people with ADHD struggle with, even if that's their only diagnosis. I suspect it's partly because of the way ADHD is rather unique in the way it's viewed by the media/public. It's treated like it's fake, a trend. Another aspect might be that people with ADHD (and C-PTSD, in your case) have often been made to feel bad about themselves. Told they're lazy, selfish, stupid, etc. And then comes ADHD with explanation that say it's not laziness, selfishness or stupidity, and it takes away some guilt. And then we start to doubt. Should we believe we have this diagnosis that absolves us from guilt we've carried for decades, or should we listen to the people who planted that guilt in the first place? That's not easy to overcome, and maybe you need to talk to someone about that if it troubles you a lot.

[@jakubbarakomski7378]

@JWildberry yeah, everything You said is extremely valid. I guess I was partaking in a bit of rant when posting the comment. The last part You were talking about guilt and how often neurodivergent people and distressed individuals are made to feel is incredibly true. That's why it kept me wondering if ADHD stems from my C-PTSD or is it the other way around. Thank You for taking the time to reply to my original comment, it was helpful to see some validation on top of the scientific content provided. I also guess that's why therapy overall is so important and You can't just breeze past everything on meds only. You need some experienced help to untangle all that stuff in a safe manner

[@NelaDunato]

Not an expert, but... 1. Why does it matter which symptom stems from what disorder if you've already been diagnosed with both? If therapeutic interventions help with your symptoms, great. If they don't, try something else. But ultimately it is probably impossible to sort symptoms neatly by different sources, because multiple comorbidities may compound the symptoms. (I don't have a CPTSD diagnosis, but I've developed a thyroid disorder that worsens some of my ADHD symptoms, so I know it can be frustrating to identify.) 2. Some ADHD traits may be obvious from infancy. I was always a "poor sleeper" (common in ADHD children), displayed extreme reactions to unpleasant sensory input and was a very fussy eater (signs of sensory processing issues). There may be symptoms that predate your trauma.

[@SK-gc7xv]

At some point, Mate went from being a scholar to a wannabe guru with a cult of personality.

[@swemedam1891]

yes. and you know this because you follow Dr. Gabor Mate like the AP follows news stories???? I am dismayed by the displays on public forums that are without substance and only provoke needless emotion. You fundamentally do not understand the world you live in. Russell Barkley is not providing you this distinction between his research and Dr. Gabor Mate's research so that you can get fired up and call names in the manner of a school bully. He's providing this information so you can have a thoughtful discussion about it. your comment. Without thought.

[@purpledressteacher4887]

I respect dr. Mate for his work on trauma, I applaud his humanity and honor on his stand against the genocide. However, I often suspected his theory was wrong simply because my experience with my child proves it's not true

[@swemedam1891]

HE HAS NO THEORY. I read his books, there is no theory of ADHD that he has presented! He speaks of his lived experience. That's it. That is all. READ THE BOOKS.

[@gg_ingy]

@@swemedam1891 Grab "Scattered minds" from your bookshelf right now and read the back. "While acknowledging that genetics *may* indeed play *a part* in predisposing a person towards the condition, he moves beyond that to focus on the things we can control". That is a theory.

[@BongShlong]

As far as i know parenting can cause or worsen ADHD through very serious abuse and neglect like head trauma or malnutrition. These are thankfully fringe cases in wealthy nations. More likely: Stressed parents can cause (complex) PTSD and pass increased risk factors for mental health problems through epigenetic changes. Some of these trauma based conditions (c-ptsd, BPD, Bipolar) present similarly to ADHD which shows that its important to have proper diagnosis by a licensed professional. Dr. Gabor Maté seems to be a kind man but hes more of a story uncle like Jordan Peterson than a rigoeous scientist. Unfortunately people love that shit and gobble it up

[@mandarinadreux9572]

thank you. i commented on that too. only that i think cptsd is not a fringe condition at all but more prevalent than we would want to believe. i have it and i know at least three more friends of mine who have it, one of them even diagnosed

[@kathrynturnbull990]

@@mandarinadreux9572 it's a "fringe" condition because it's not in the DSM (official diagnosis code), but I agree that this doesn't necessarily mean that it's not more common than we would like to believe. It took until 1980 for psychiatrists to officially recognize the existence of PTSD as a mental health disorder, and this was in a century that included 2 world wars. 🙄

[@mandarinadreux9572]

@ ah i see, thanks for the explanation

[@jonahblock]

bad parenting certainly makes it worse tho

[@eliseholton9284]

My daughter can at times be hyper sensitive in addition …… this is known also to clearly dissolve & eradicate with good ADHD medication.

[@TomK32]

I really don't understand why someone would listen to Joe Rogan's podcast or give him far too much for his podcast. To anyone who wants high quality radio show on a wide range of topics I can highly recommend In Our Time on BBC Radio 4.

[@therealist2000]

Can it cause anxiety or depression?

[@claesyoungberg1695]

Yes

[@clare3071]

I have just been diagnosed at age 46, and I have also read Scattered Minds. From the book I was under the impression that he was just talking about a ‘lack of atunement’ by the caregiver. This could have been subtle and nothing to do with ‘bad parenting’. My own mother admits we have not been an emotionally close family, but this does not mean she does not love me dearly, it is just a generational thing. It makes much more sense to me that this is a developmental disorder due to lack of emotional atunement. I believe both my parents have ADHD also, so they would be unable to atune to themselves and therefore their offspring. My meds have enlightened me to a calmer mind with a control of my impulsivity and much greater motivation so I fully believe that even with my late diagnosis, I can relearn how to be like this even when I am not on my meds. I believe I can change my brain, with additional meditation and cbt. These scientists cannot test for ADHD nor find any exact genetic markers for it so they cannot know its cause. How do we know that twins are treated exactly the same? Perhaps one is more needy and gets more attention, and therefore the other gets less emotional atunement, anyone have twins here and can comment?

[@swemedam1891]

this calling out of Mate is uncalled for. It should have been done, all THREE times now, without the ADHD community here having to divide themselves. Sad. I call on Russell Barkley to take these Mate bashing videos down. Contact Mate with your issues and work it out. Stop making it your communities issue.

[@gg_ingy]

If this was a generational thing, wouldn't basically everyone in the world have ADHD? We all know the harsh conditions humans endured up until 2 generations ago (and many still do). And wtf is up with your idea that parents with adhd are unable to atune to themselves or their "offspring"? Wild.

[@katherineclarke5658]

Thank you. 🙏

[@swemedam1891]

You know what? I haven’t commented up until now, but I feel compelled to say something. If you have issues with Dr. Gabor Maté’s work, I’d urge you to address him directly. Engaging in public criticism repeatedly, especially without meaningful dialogue, feels unproductive and undermines the collaborative spirit the ADHD community deserves. I deeply value your contributions-your book and research have helped me immensely, just as Dr. Maté’s work has. But I don’t see the conflict you’re pointing to. Dr. Maté acknowledges the genetic components of ADHD and emphasizes the lived experiences many of us endure. You focus on research and practical strategies. Both perspectives are vital and may coexist. Why not engage with him directly or find common ground? For those of us trying to navigate this diagnosis, these disagreements feel like distractions from the bigger picture: helping people understand themselves and thrive. Thank you for your hard work, sir. It has been a gift to many of us, as has Dr. Maté’s. I hope to see more collaboration and less division in the future. Disclaimer: If I’ve missed something or there’s more context to your critique, I’d genuinely be interested in understanding it better. My only goal is to encourage a more constructive and respectful dialogue.

[@shawnrisley2404]

People who superimpose their personal experience as true for everyone, are in their own dream world. Why would my experience be true for anyone else?

[@hooligan9794]

If conditions have symptoms, then people with the same condition are more likely to have similar experiences as those symptoms interact with the world.

[@swemedam1891]

Dude....lived experience is science at it's best. if you think he is trying to SUPERIMPOSE his experience, you are fundamentally wrong. Mate is SHARING his experience. I've read Mate and Barkley. The dichotomy that is being created here is sad. This only stands to promote distrust for science and the ADHD community.

[@themobbit9061]

Thanks for speaking out against this false info

[@jonr6680]

Never mind that guy, I'm more focused on how DrB is an absolute dead ringer for The Architect of The Matrix. Even the voice is the same! I think the world needs to be told the truth!

[@mdp_lady]

"Transgenerational Transmission of Hyperactivity in a Mouse Model of ADHD" at • The Journal of Neuroscience, February 19, 2014 • 34(8):2768 -2773 This study found that smoking during pregnancy can lead to hyperactivity, a sign of ADHD, in mice, and it can even affect their kids and grandkids. What’s interesting is that the mom doesn’t need to have ADHD herself-smoking alone can cause these changes, likely by affecting the genes. It's a study nevertheless, but it's interesting to see if this transfers to humans, where nicotine exposure can hypothetically cause ADHD in utero like drinking alcohol would cause fetal alcohol syndrome. It's not conclusive for sure, but it's interesting.

[@Verdalidade]

Dr Barkley makes a rookie mistake, which is to confuse genetic predisposition with genetic determinism, and doing so goes against the DSM, as in the DSM there are several risk factors for the development of ADHD, where the genetic factor is only one from them. Maybe that's what Dr Mate meant. Regarding what Dr Mate said, I agree with him, because that's how I see myself. I have no doubt that the continuous conflicts between my parents contributed to changes in the functioning of my body.

[@TedMyrrh]

Its common sense to assume parents play a role. If parents are chaotic, disempowering, unboundaried, unemotionally attuned ,children have no internalized structure. to focus there children in health ways such as task completion, emotional regulation the parents play a key role. I also believe tv watching, video games, and overbearing simblings play a role. Parents are necessary to structure a childs emotional, physical, mental, moral developement. The pattern of dissasotiation in early child developement cause by the lack of a mothers emotional atunement to protect an infant from overstimulation could also be a factor. This is not about "blaming" parenting it is about not invalidating peoples right to understand their own story and process without some "expert" dictating how and what to think and beleive. Spacing out, and dissasociating, numbing, stimming, fantasy, daydreaming are all attempts of a child to escape from distressing emotions and stressors they dont have the skills to deal with. Tv creates a passive mind as do cell phones to receive the information coming at us rather than self directing our life we are programmed from birth to receive external programming from things that are none of our business. "Mind your own business" is not a modern concept. We think we have a right and responsibility to know everyones business even on a global stage. We are not designed to be destracted and overstimulated 24/7. Even driving has become a chaotic think where people honk and stress you if you aren't hyperattuned to their expectations. Health boundaries should be taught by parents. If not you will be overwhelmed by everything and not even know what is not your responsibility.

[@TedMyrrh]

It seems very possible to me that there is a parental component to my ADHD. Everything Dr. Mate said matches my adhd and family/temperament. I would say to me that seems like evidence.

[@SimoneEppler]

It's anecdotal evidence, which ist not evidence.

[@GreenSharpieScience]

Thank you for exposing Mate! He is perpetrating such a terrible spread of misinformation on people. He should loose his license. (Also I worked with Dr. Faraone for a little while a long time ago , good scientist!)

[@swemedam1891]

You. Are just as wrong as everyone on Barkley's side. This whole issue shouldn't be in a public education forum. This is NOT science. If Russell Barkley whom I respect from his work and his work alone, because I don't know the man, needs to take this conversation to Dr. Mate instead of inciting unnecessary and unproductive conversation. Mate does not spread lies, he doesn't spread misinformation. Check yourself. You got emotional because your cognitive bias got the best of you. Have you ever read Mate? Have you read Barkley. Do you agree with everyone that hold's your opinion? Do you even question it. My guess from this comment you've made is that you like to latch on to information that supports your narrative. That's called cognitive bias. Good luck with that. Attempting to discredit others in your field in a public forum like this is unprofessional. check yourself.

[@Dancestar1981]

Those ideas are gone with the dinosaurs so damaging I thought we’d moved beyond that more than sixty years ago

[@swemedam1891]

it's not an idea...it's shown in research how the environment contributes to brain development. Again, like I've been commenting to everyone. This one sided debate is not science. This does not contribute to the advancement of knowledge and understanding within the ADHD community. This debate that Russell Barkley has started is disgraceful. I call for him to remove his Mate videos in lieu of an episode where they sit down and collaborate about their knowledge. This whole Mate is dead wrong campaign is getting old and frankly embarrassing to the ADHD community as a whole. If a lead researcher can't act professional and confront a colleague in the professional environment prior to calling him out as a fraud in the public environment, there's something wrong. check your facts. Also, I've read both Mate and Barkley. They both have amazing information and narratives to share. They BOTH contribute to the community.

[@Dancestar1981]

@ actually it’s been debunked

[@RadikalBanal]

thank you!

[@bb2323.]

This Dr.Mate making my Grandpa Russell tired Leave my grandpa alone you scam doctor

[@swemedam1891]

name calling....that gets us all somewhere closer to where we need to be on our life trajectories. If you haven't noticed, this is a one sided debate. And it shouldn't be a debate...and it should be in a public forum. This issue that Russell Barkley, PhD takes with Mate should be taken up with Dr. Mate. The ADHD community deserves better than this.

[@bb2323.]

@@swemedam1891Well, Real Life aint a Davos Summit

[@bb2323.]

@@swemedam1891You need to chill brother. Let me talk with grandpa russell and prescribe you something I personally use sertraline+buspirone+stimulants Im like a panda u know Chill af

[@MrThorino]

What I heard is that some guys read something and wrote something, than other guys read that and wrote another thing. I don't hear any example of DOING studies!

[@swemedam1891]

I'm sure you aren't asking for my opinion, but I see you flummoxed by the content of this video! I suggest reading Russell Barkley and Mate as both provide amazing insights but focus on different aspects of ADHD. Barkley has lots of numbers and stats and nuanced understanding. Dr. Mate has lived experience that is presented in such a way that helpful to many. Aside, we shouldn't be discrediting a man who contributes positively to the community. Make your own opinion and resist returning to any videos calling out Mate. I've watched this whole series and all it seems to do is divide the community. Is that Russell Barkley's purpose, doubtfully. But that's what I see happening. Normally there is a lot more research that Dr Barkley presents and discusses, so aside from these Mate videos, I believe the content to be quiet informative and helpful.

[@MrThorino]

@swemedam1891 Thank you for your comment. I was, actually perplexed by this, especially coming from renowned doctor. I read Scattered Minds and have watched many lectures of Dr. Barkley and I figured they are on same page. My wife and child are both diagnosed with ADHD and I find truth in what both of these gentlemen say. And since Adderall is unavailable in my country, I rely on alternative natural remedies for this condition, and Dr. Mate has some very useful tips. Dr. Barkley doesn't do "natural" , but he gives good insights. So I don't understand the need for these videos. Maybe money. Conflict and drama bring more views.

[@valtracey6180]

You can’t treat a child with ADHD in isolation - everyone in the family has to be on the same treatment plan, especially the parents, as they are the only ones who can create a better environment within which a child can grow, and reach his full potential. In fact, treating the parents first will result in them being able to provide any therapy needed for their children - and on a daily basis! One hour CBT a week doesn’t come close to what the parents can achieve on a daily basis. No, parents don’t cause ADHD, but they certainly can have a huge impact on whether ADHD symptoms are fueled or relieved.

[@netslayeruk]

Dr. Gabor Mate should re-evaluate his stances on ADHD. I wonder if he simply talks with controversy, simply to drive engagement. This is harmful to us.

[@ChristianConstitutionalist3192]

Wrong is too nice; I would say Mate is a Fraud.

[@hooligan9794]

I have ADHD and I was definitely hypersensitive as a child.

[@alessazoe]

Also why rely on Google’s AI so weirdly often? If it feels like it, it will recommend putting glue on pizza. You can make the whole argument with pointing to proper studies or meta studies alone. No need to rely on AI, that only makes your argument weak.

[@neko-chan6145]

thank you for speaking out

[@Esc4pe_velocity]

@russellbarkley i was told once by a nurse that my son had adhd because he had high bilirubin levels and because I breastfed him he got adhd... she said it was because I wouldn't bottle fed him instead. Any comments or thoughts on this?

[@mandarinadreux9572]

as an ex midwifery student, i would say absolute bullshit. high bilirubin is something that has nothing to do with breastfeeding vs bottle feeding. it's a rather natural thing many babies experience after birth and to cure it, the baby has to drink a lot to wash out the bilirubin. whether it's breast milk or bottle milk doesn't matter

[@yarntoast]

When my kiddo was born with high bilirubin Mary Bridge Children’s hospital had me breastfeed as much as possible to help her recover so I call BS on that nurse.

[@purpledressteacher4887]

I genuinely dont think you need dr Barkley to tell you that's a load of sh*t 😂...if bf would cause adhd how do neurotypicals exist😂

[@gg_ingy]

Lol wtf

[@kmf634]

If you think that what happened to you as an infant or small child makes no difference, then you are missing a bit of data and common sense. Sometimes when you’re reacting strongly to something, it’s good to go to the source material and read it yourself. Because there’s plenty of science in Mates books to support the fact that nutrition and nurturing do absolutely affect physical ability for a child to thrive. The brain is in the physical body and does not thrive or develop entirely properly when the child is experiencing stresses. Neural connections are affected. Mate says in his book, and whenever this issue is raised, that he does NOT blame parents for the stresses they experience and how that sometimes affects children. NOT ONCE has he said that. He treats this compassion. He also acknowledges that there may be a genetic component. He acknowledges that drugs are the first line of treatment. That they’re not the answer for everyone. He took them himself. He has amazing advice for parents of children with ADHD, compassionate and caring. MUST we ADHDers slam this guy at every turn? If you haven’t read the books, you’re missing a compassionate viewpoint. There is a world where Barkley and Mate intersect. Until someone writes the Golden Book of ADHD, we’re in early days of understanding. Don’t believe everything you find on the internet. The book is in the library. You can look at it and consider it for FREE, lol. Dr Barkley, I expect more from you honestly.

[@isholaas]

Why is this titled against Dr. Maté? This seems very unprofessional to me. Just state your case for the true nature of ADHD.

[@SimoneEppler]

Debunking false information ist important.

[@christopherneufelt8971]

It does not?! Do you know how much we have invested to this? Thanks for destroying our day! The Management.🤣

[@HeroinesHeroH]

Still going after the -99 book I see. Mate has corrected his stance on the whole childhood ptsd causing adhd debate.

[@SimoneEppler]

Source?

[@swemedam1891]

@@SimoneEppler I've read Mate, I've read Barkley. I listen to both. This debate should not exist. The fact is this is unprofessional. A one sided debate in a public forum meant for education is fundamentally dangerous. This series of videos by Barkley is harming the ADHD community. HARMING. There is no need for this. I call for Barkley to take his Mate video series down and confront Dr. Mate with his gripes. We, as an ADHD community do not need this type of issue presented to us. WE have a difficult enough time figuring out how to fit into this world. We don't need the researchers, scientists, or doctors and anyone for that matter stirring up the pot the that we need to make sense of our condition. This is unproductive and unfair to those of us diagnosed with ADHD. Honestly, I'm flummoxed that Russell Barkley, PhD is doing this. Can he not see the divide he is creating. This shouldn't be in a public forum. IMO, a professional scientist with decorum would humbly present the issues in private discussing how the need for unity of information across the community.

[@gg_ingy]

When? I saw interviews a year ago where he still claimed it.

[@SimoneEppler]

@@swemedam1891 What are you talking about? I genuinely don’t understand. Barkley is one of the leading experts in the field and explains us the science behind ADHD.

[@Fomites]

Some individuals find it rewarding to adopt an anti-establishment position on perceived controversial topics (in these days of the Internet, the latter which fosters conflict and nutters) because it gives them prominence/noticeability and is often financially rewarding. To wit is Gabor Mate, Aseem Malhotra and other anti-establishment figures who were elevated as pundits during COVID-19. We need to be aware of the drivers of their personalities and the pitfalls of such. Their drivers seldom include scientific objectivity.

[@swemedam1891]

you sound smart. I bet you haven't read Mate's book. Maybe you have. challenge me. However, you unequivocally do not understand science. A one side debate with your followers accusing a man of fraud, a man you've never met or spoke with, in a public forum meant for education is not science. That is posturing. I call for Barkley, who's work I respect to take his disdainful videos about Mate down and actually contact Mate and collaborate and have a discussion before you just dismiss a man. That sounds like scientific thinking to me. How about you?

[@exactlyme9914]

So from what you're saying. do you feel the same about parenting and BPD?

[@GreenSharpieScience]

Studies on borderline personality disorder put the heritability around 45%. So there seems to be a much greater environmental role than for adhd.

[@Dancestar1981]

He’s work is very damaging to the neurodivergent as if we don’t have enough stigma and discrimination in our lives

[@mentalyou263]

disagree, mate is a boss

[@alessazoe]

I’m with you on the argument, but why not write Gabor Maté’s name correctly? The acute is present on standard keyboards. Also can be copied from somewhere if you don’t know how to type it out.

[@sarahh1071]

Accent?

[@KingcoleIIV]

If he does not care to do actual research why then would we want his name written correctly?

[@mandarinadreux9572]

unpopular opinion but i think he is partly right though. there is adhd which we commonly understand as adhd that is NOT caused by bad parenting plus sensitive child. but then there's cptsd which is absolutely caused by poorly attuned parents, some form of negligence or violence and a sensitive child which results in trauma - and cptsd has adhd-like symptoms, so much so that the two can only be discerned by questioning the person's background. And if we're looking at cptsd - with its adhd like symptoms - which could also be understood as "adhd caused by nurture" or circumstances rather than nature / genetics, then i think he is spot on. now fight me

[@SimoneEppler]

But this is not what Maté says. And you cannot just take a diagnosis and apply it to something different.

[@mdp_lady]

For Gen Xers, a lot of our baby boomer parents smoked while pregnant with us. There’s got to be a lot of undiagnosed ADHD out there. However not every baby exposed to nicotine in utero will have ADHD, but smoking while pregnant does increase the likelihood of causing ADHD in the child.

[@NelaDunato]

Actually, people with ADHD are more prone to smoking, and addiction in general, so again we're talking about correlation that doesn't imply causation. My mother smoked during her pregnancy with me, but not while she was pregnant with my brother. Both of us kids have ADHD. And I'm pretty certain mom has as well.

[@mdp_lady]

@@NelaDunato Please Google: "Transgenerational Transmission of Hyperactivity in a Mouse Model of ADHD" at • The Journal of Neuroscience, February 19, 2014 • 34(8):2768 -2773 This study found that smoking during pregnancy can lead to hyperactivity, a sign of ADHD, in mice, and it can even affect their kids and grandkids. What’s interesting is that the mom doesn’t need to have ADHD herself-smoking alone can cause these changes, likely by affecting the genes. It's a study nevertheless, but it's interesting to see if this transfers to humans, where nicotine exposure can hypothetically cause ADHD in utero like drinking alcohol would cause fetal alcohol syndrome. It's not conclusive for sure, but it's interesting.

[@mdp_lady]

@@NelaDunato Please Google: "Transgenerational Transmission of Hyperactivity in a Mouse Model of ADHD" at • The Journal of Neuroscience, February 19, 2014 • 34(8):2768 -2773 This study found that smoking during pregnancy can lead to hyperactivity, a sign of ADHD, in mice, and it can even affect their kids and grandkids. What’s interesting is that the mom doesn’t need to have ADHD herself-smoking alone can cause these changes, likely by affecting the genes. It's a study nevertheless, but it's interesting to see if this transfers to humans, where nicotine exposure can hypothetically cause ADHD in utero like drinking alcohol would cause fetal alcohol syndrome. It's not conclusive for sure, but it's interesting.

[@mdp_lady]

@@NelaDunato Please Google: "Transgenerational Transmission of Hyperactivity in a Mouse Model of ADHD" at • The Journal of Neuroscience, February 19, 2014 • 34(8):2768 -2773 This study found that smoking during pregnancy can lead to hyperactivity, a sign of ADHD, in mice, and it can even affect their kids and grandkids. What’s interesting is that the mom doesn’t need to have ADHD herself-smoking alone can cause these changes, likely by affecting the genes. It's a study nevertheless, but it's interesting to see if this transfers to humans, where nicotine exposure can hypothetically cause ADHD in utero like drinking alcohol would cause fetal alcohol syndrome. It's not conclusive for sure, but it's interesting.

[@shug6645]

I disagree with your summary...