dr gabor mate in the realm of hungry ghosts

I believe there is one addiction process, whether it manifests in the lethal substance dependencies of my Downtown Eastside patients, the frantic self-soothing of overeaters or shopaholics, the obsessions of gamblers, sexaholics and compulsive internet users, or in the socially acceptable and even admired behaviours of the workaholic. He proposes a compassionate approach to helping drug addicts and, for the many behaviour addicts among us, to addressing the void addiction is meant to fill.

Maté sheds light on this most puzzling of human frailties. Providing a bold synthesis of clinical experience, insight and cutting edge scientific findings, Dr. He weaves the stories of real people who have struggled with addiction with the latest research on addiction and the brain. Maté looks at his own history of compulsive behaviour. Drugs, alcohol, tobacco, work, food, sex, gambling and excessive inappropriate spending: what is amiss with our lives that we seek such self-destructive ways to comfort ourselves? And why is it so difficult to stop these habits, even as they threaten our health, jeopardize our relationships and corrode our lives?īeginning with a dramatically close view of his drug addicted patients, Dr. Maté’s patients are at the far end of the spectrum, there are many others among us who are also struggling with addictions. His patients are challenged by life-threatening drug addictions, mental illness, Hepatitis C or HIV and, in many cases, all four.

In this timely and profoundly original new book, bestselling writer and physician Gabor Maté looks at the epidemic of addictions in our society, tells us why we are so prone to them and what is needed to liberate ourselves from their hold on our emotions and behaviours.įor over seven years Gabor Maté has been the staff physician at the Portland Hotel, a residence and harm reduction facility in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.

Dr gabor mate in the realm of hungry ghosts