Gabor Maté discusses his new book, "In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts"

Time sensitive

Gabor Maté discusses his new book, In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction

Wednesday March 12 2008
7:30 PM Saint Andrew's Wesley
1012 Nelson at Burrard Street in Vancouver
Minimum Donation: $5

Hear the wonderful Dr. Gabor Maté discuss his latest and highly anticipated book, In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts, with host: Dr. Bruce Alexander, Professor Emeritus (Psychology), Simon Fraser University, Author, The Globalization of Addiction.

This is a fundraising event for the Downtown Eastside Women's Centre and the Aboriginal Mother Centre.

Help raise more funds by pre-ordering Dr. Maté's new book through NVS to pick up at the event and before, by arrangement. Simply email necessaryvoices@gmail.com

Information: http://www.necessaryvoices.org and necessaryvoices@gmail.com

About this Book
In this timely and profoundly original new book, bestselling writer and physician Gabor Maté looks at the epidemic of addictions in our society, tells us why we are so prone to them and what is needed to liberate ourselves from their hold on our emotions and behaviours.

For over seven years Gabor Maté has been the staff physician at the Portland Hotel, a residence and harm reduction facility in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. His patients are challenged by life-threatening drug addictions, mental illness, Hepatitis C or HIV and, in many cases, all four. But if Dr. Maté's patients are at the far end of the spectrum, there are many others among us who are also struggling with addictions. Drugs, alcohol, tobacco, work, food, sex, gambling and excessive inappropriate spending: what is amiss with our lives that we seek such self-destructive ways to comfort ourselves? And why is it so difficult to stop these habits, even as they threaten our health, jeopardize our relationships and corrode our lives?

Beginning with a dramatically close view of his drug addicted patients, Dr. Maté looks at his own history of compulsive behaviour. He weaves the stories of real people who have struggled with addiction with the latest research on addiction and the brain. Providing a bold synthesis of clinical experience, insight and cutting edge scientific findings, Dr. Maté sheds light on this most puzzling of human frailties. He proposes a compassionate approach to helping drug addicts and, for the many behaviour addicts among us, to addressing the void addiction is meant to fill.