The reader may be forgiven for thinking that the promising title of this book, alluding to the invisible world of the seeking and wanting human spirit, articulates the central theme that the author develops -it does not I presume it was the publisher who chose the catchy name. In the dark mirror of their lives we can trace outlines of our own.ĭid pitiful injustice to a deeply human theme If they have chosen a path to nowhere, they still have much to teach the rest of us. Both in their flaws and their virtues they share much in common with the society that ostracizes them. In telling their stories my intent is to help their voices to be heard and to shed light on the origins and nature of their ill-fated struggle to overcome suffering through substance use. Drug addicts are often dismissed and discounted as unworthy of empathy and respect. 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 book, best-selling 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.
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