In the realm of hungry ghosts
Addiction is a core issue in our society. At rock bottom it is a spiritual issue, one that has not responded to the “Just Say ‘NO’” and the “Tough Love” policies that are regularly touted by experts, and that are still accepted as gospel and put into practice by mainstream counselors and therapists all over the world. This segment on Dr. Gabor Mate and his discoveries has been included in order to widen the lens through which we view addiction, and bring our attention to the ways in which our understanding of it needs to change. For anyone whose life is directly affected by this disease, may what you find here inspire you to look deeper into Dr. Mate’s research and consider reading one, or all of his books:
‘In The Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters With Addiction’
‘Hold on to Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More Than Peers’ (co-authored with developmental psychologist Gordon Neufeld)
‘When the Body Says No: The Cost of Hidden Stress’
‘Scattered Minds: A New Look at the Origins and Healing of Attention Deficit Disorder’
’In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts’ – an excerpt
“The mandala, the Buddhist wheel of life, revolves through six realms. Each realm is populated by characters representing aspects of human existence – our various ways of being. In the beast realm we are driven by basic survival instincts and appetites such as physical hunger and sexuality, what Freud called the id. The denizens of the hell realm are trapped in states of unbearable rage and anxiety. In the God realm we transcend our troubles and our egos through sensual, aesthetic, or religious experience, but only temporarily and in ignorance of spiritual truth. Even this enviable state is tinged with loss and suffering.
“The inhabitants of the hungry ghost realm are depicted as creatures with scrawny necks, small mouths, emaciated limbs, and large, bloated, empty bellies. This is the domain of addiction, where we constantly seek something outside ourselves to curb an insatiable yearning for relief or fulfillment. The aching emptiness is perpetual because the substances, objects, or pursuits we hope will soothe it are not what we really need”
“In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts” – by Dr. Gabor Mate
VIDEO INTERVIEWS
1) DR. GABOR MATE: ATTACHMENT AND BRAIN DEVELOPMENT
Published on May 29, 2012
Dr. Gabor Maté discusses the importance of attachment and brain development. The topics he covers include ADD, implicit memory and counter-will. He delivered his presentation at the KMT Child Development and Community Conference in Toronto.
46+ Minutes
DR. GABOR MATE ON ‘HOW ADDICTION CHANGES THE BRAIN’
Uploaded on Nov 18, 2010
How does addiction change the brain? According to Dr. Gabor Mate, it’s a difficult struggle for hard core drug addicts to kick their habit because their brains are impaired. His bestselling book, ‘In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts; Close Encounters with Addiction’, looks at the common roots of addictive behaviors and what can be done about them.
27+ Minutes
DR. GABOR MATE ON DIAGNOSING AND COPING WITH A.D.D.
Published on Sep 15, 2011
One of Dr. Gabor Mate’s books is called “Scattered Minds”, in which he deals with Attention Deficit Disorder. Dr. Mate himself was diagnosed with ADD at the age of 51 and his children also suffer from it. In this video interview, he explains the symptoms, why we are seeing more of it these days, and how we can deal with now that we are beginning to see it for what it is. (Originally aired June 1999)
26+ Minutes
DR. GABOR MATE: THE CONSEQUENCES OF STRESSED PARENTING
Published on May 15, 2012
Dr. Gabor Maté talks about the link between stressed parenting and the preponderance of childhood disorders like ADHD, autism and oppositional defiant disorder, at the KMT Child Development & Community Conference.
1 Hour 21+ Minutes
Dr. Gabor Mate
is a Hungarian-born Canadian physician who specializes in the study and treatment of addiction and is also widely recognized for his unique perspective on Attention Deficit Disorder and his firmly held belief in the connection between mind and body health. A sought-after speaker and seminar leader on these topics, he is a regular columnist for the Vancouver Sun and the Globe and Mail and has authored four books: In The Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters With Addiction, Hold on to Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More Than Peers (co-authored with developmental psychologist Gordon Neufeld), When the Body Says No: The Cost of Hidden Stress, and Scattered Minds: A New Look at the Origins and Healing of Attention Deficit Disorder. The latter two have become bestsellers, translated into nine languages.