In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts - Gabor Maté

⭐ 10.0/10

(Originally written by Beans)

This book was written by a medical doctor who has spent years at the Portland Hotel in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver. If you know anything about the area or the hotel, you know that it is filled with homeless and addicted people.

Maté tells of his experiences of the people he has met during his practice. Broken people with stories to tell, who just want relief from their pain and maybe a friend or two to talk to. A lot of heart wrenching stuff in here but so important to hear.

He also goes into a lot of the science, psychology and physiology of addictions. There’s a lot to say about that but it would be best if you just read it. People who are addicted to hard substances have so much shit going on in their lives, it’s really hard to judge their actions once you get to know them.

He talks about de-criminalizing and legalizing drug use, and he makes a really compelling argument. At this point I’m completely on board with that. The system does not work and only perpetuates the problem. We need a different approach.

Having the privilege of working with addicted youth the past 3 months has really opened my eyes and allowed my heart and mind to understand the issue better and personalize the issue. Do yourself a favour and check this out.