Gabor Mate is brilliant!

I don't know why I haven't brought up this guy before; I esteem him highly. His book on addiction, In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts, is maybe the most humane book on the subject ever written.

Kate, couldn't agree more. His book was a real eye and mind opener for me when I read it several months ago. Just remembered that you had recommended it. He has a lot of interesting UTube talks, also. Turns out he eventually got into vipassana, even went to retreats. I'm going to re-read Hungry Ghosts.

One of the many interesting points in the interview:
A study of 17,000 adults, most of whom attended or completed college. Those who had experienced 6 "adverse childhood experiences" ("ACEs", typically family-related childhood trauma) were 4600% more likely to develop a serious addiction that those who had no severe ACE.

This has been sitting on my bookshelf since I bought it on Chris' recommendation a year or so ago... must get around to reading it!

The man really is lovely, as I said: writes from "what we do as a result of our experiences," not condemnatory of "them."

Yes!
I haven't read a full length book but have read some articles and listened to numerous talks, interviews. I came across him when I was looking into ayahuasca and other psychedelics that are being used to help people....