Why people recommend it
In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts by Gabor Maté is a profound exploration of addiction, trauma, and healing that draws on the author's extensive medical experience working with severe substance abuse in Vancouver. The book argues that addiction is fundamentally rooted in developmental trauma and early emotional pain rather than mere moral failure or chemical dependency. On The Joe Rogan Experience, Dr. Gabor Maté discussed his earlier book on addiction during a wider conversation regarding trauma, his subsequent work on the myth of normal, and his psychedelic experiences. On The Diary Of A CEO, Steven Bartlett spoke about how Gabor's writings explain that early childhood struggles for parental acceptance can frequently lead to people-pleasing tendencies in adulthood. Jay Shetty also highlighted the title on On Purpose as one of the bestselling and award-winning books written by the physician, emphasizing its vital role in illuminating the root causes of trauma and attention deficit disorders. Podcast hosts and literary guests repeatedly reference the work because it fundamentally shifts the cultural paradigm surrounding addiction, reframing it from a criminal justice issue or personal weakness into a public health crisis rooted in human suffering and unhealed childhood wounds.
Who recommended it
- Gabor Mate Discussed
- Joe Rogan Discussed
- Jay Shetty Discussed
Gabor Mate — 2 mentions
“so my book on addiction in the realm of hungry ghosts close encounters with addiction was published in 2009 in canada and in 2010 in the states in which i point out that addiction is always always always rooted in trauma”
“so much so that in this book The Myth of normal I actually talk about a an experience with psychedelic mushrooms at the with the therapist”
Joe Rogan — 1 mention
“uh this book the myth of normal this is your book yeah it's called the myth of normal trauma illness and healing in a toxic culture”
Jay Shetty — 1 mention
“Maté has written several best-selling books, including the award-winning 'In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction', 'When the Body Says No: The Cost of Hidden Stress', and 'Scattered Minds: The Origins and Healing of Attention Deficit Disorder'.”
Mentioned on the show without a named speaker — 1
“because and it typically even from from speaking to Gabor who literally wrote a book about this um he says the same thing in those early years when you know we were seeking the acceptance or validation from a parent and we're struggling to get it we have that battle with them of trying to trying to prove that we're”