Weds 17th Jan 2024
Over the last 2 to 3 months WBG members have been reading In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts, a book by Gabor Maté exploring the causes of addiction, and promoting a change in the way it is approached.
Maté is a doctor treating drug addicts at a facility in Vancouver, Canada. Through this work, which treats addicts with compassion and eschews judgement, he postulates a theory that the vast majority of addicts have experienced issues in very early childhood that left them much more prone to addiction than most. Whether it is abuse, significant trauma or as simple as a lack of parental connection, the resulting development of the child’s brain is oriented more towards seeking reward for relief, and lacks the logic circuitry to rein in their impulses.
But addiction is treatable, Maté promises, looking away from the “War on Drugs” and more towards a compassionate, non-judgemental approach that supports the addict as they, hopefully, resolve to put the necessary work in to manage their addiction more effectively.
