In the world of hungry ghosts

Addiction of all kinds, whether drug addiction or behavioral addictions such as gambling, eating—or indeed, addiction to anything else—is rooted in pain, often resulting from childhood suffering. Many of these parents who have lost children to addiction are unlikely to express appreciation or understanding for their children. Instead, they often feel pain, anger, or feel that they are always to blame. This book is not intended to place blame on anyone, but rather to embrace suffering humanity. It aims to show that addiction is one of the most common manifestations of human suffering. There is no accusation, only an acknowledgment of the fact that suffering is passed down through generations, and that we unwittingly pass it on until we understand it and break the chain of transmission within every family, human group, or society. Blaming parents is neither emotionally kind nor scientifically correct. All parents do their best, but our best is limited by our own unresolved or unconscious trauma. This is what we unwittingly pass on to our children, just as I did. The bright side of this book is that this trauma and family breakdown can be healed. Given the right conditions, we now know that the brain can heal itself. About the author: Gabor Mate, author of In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts and 11 other books. - Gabor Mate, a retired Hungarian-Canadian physician and writer, is best known for his expertise in... Other works by the author: In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: The Myth of Normal; Hold On to Your Kids: Why It Should Be... When the Body Says No; Scattered Minds: The Origins and Healing... Scattered Minds: The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness... When the Body Says No