In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction
A groundbreaking look at addiction and recovery from the bestselling author of The Myth of Normal—the modern self-help classic that reframes everything you were taught about trauma and substance abuse
Addictions always originate in pain, whether felt openly or hidden in the unconscious.
In In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts, world-renowned physician and trauma expert Dr. Gabor Maté offers a frame-changing approach to understanding substance abuse and recovery—and challenges us to rethink everything we thought we knew about how addiction happens, who’s labeled an “addict,” and why our social systems and government structures fail to support real healing and wholeness.
This #1 international bestseller advocates for humane approaches to treatment and recovery and explores substance use disorder as an outcome of unhealed developmental trauma. Through case studies, cutting-edge neuropsychiatric research, and clear-eyed analysis, Maté reveals the root causes of addiction:
Since its original publication in 2010, this book has been essential reading for anyone seeking to understand addiction. It reframes substance use disorder as a response to suffering—not a “choice” or a moral failure. For readers struggling with substance abuse, for those looking to better understand their loved ones, and for anyone who wants to make sense of the twin epidemics of trauma and addiction, In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts offers a radical, authoritative path toward understanding, hope, and societal repair—and lights the way for true recovery.
Addictions always originate in pain, whether felt openly or hidden in the unconscious.
In In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts, world-renowned physician and trauma expert Dr. Gabor Maté offers a frame-changing approach to understanding substance abuse and recovery—and challenges us to rethink everything we thought we knew about how addiction happens, who’s labeled an “addict,” and why our social systems and government structures fail to support real healing and wholeness.
This #1 international bestseller advocates for humane approaches to treatment and recovery and explores substance use disorder as an outcome of unhealed developmental trauma. Through case studies, cutting-edge neuropsychiatric research, and clear-eyed analysis, Maté reveals the root causes of addiction:
- Personal history
- Emotional development
- Brain chemistry
- Social conditions
- Structural factors
- The unhealed traumas we may not even realize we carry
Since its original publication in 2010, this book has been essential reading for anyone seeking to understand addiction. It reframes substance use disorder as a response to suffering—not a “choice” or a moral failure. For readers struggling with substance abuse, for those looking to better understand their loved ones, and for anyone who wants to make sense of the twin epidemics of trauma and addiction, In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts offers a radical, authoritative path toward understanding, hope, and societal repair—and lights the way for true recovery.
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Community Reviews
Clear, coherent explanations of the neurobiology and psychosocial settings of addiction in all its forms. Intellectually enlarging for those wanting to learn more about the etiology of addiction and controversies surrounding its perceptions and treatment. Mate is clear about his stance on topics such as methadone maintenance and supervised injection sites. However, his explanations can be valuable even to those who do not agree with his positions on these issues.
The book is a little long for its own good, though. Somewhere near the final third, the clear organization present at the beginning breaks down and it starts to feel repetitive.
The book is a little long for its own good, though. Somewhere near the final third, the clear organization present at the beginning breaks down and it starts to feel repetitive.
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