By Katarina Ziervogel

Dr. Maté, an addiction expert and an author of the book, In the Realm of the Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction,calls for a compassionate approach towards addiction, a misunderstood illness that lies in victims who have fallen from it. Dr. Maté believes all types of addictions come from emotional loss and childhood trauma. Therefore, the addicts seek out fixes to their pain, whether it is emotional, mental or physical pain they are in.

Addictions are not only limited to substance abuse, but anything can act as an addiction depending on an individual’s relationship to it. Dr. Maté believes the society’s negative response to addicts is unfair due to the belief that all people have a choice in stopping or not. He insists that all addicts do not have the ability to make a responsible choice due to being blinded by their own pain. The negative response received by the society fuels the addictive behaviour, whether it is by ignoring the street junkies as they walk by or treating them as if they’re a lesser being. The addicts become isolated from the world and are left alone to fend for themselves and deal with the long-lasting pain they are in.

Dr. Maté suggests that we treat the addict as an equal being and to become more compassionate by understanding and forgiving them of their nature. It is the first step to take for the addicts’ road to the recovery.

http://spiritualityhealth.com/articles/gabor-mat%C3%A9-why-were-culture-addicts