by Gabor Maté
First published 2008
In the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, Dr. Gabor Maté treats the addicts society has abandoned. From rock bottom, he unravels the complex tapestry of trauma, mental illness, and social isolation that binds his patients. As Maté delves into the science of addiction, he discovers its roots in the universal yearning to fill a profound spiritual void. With empathy and wisdom, Maté challenges the War on Drugs, offering a bold new approach that treats addiction as a human crisis, not a criminal one.
Genres: mental-health, addiction, social-issues, non-fiction, biography-memoir, health
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: social-commentary
Setting: British Columbia, Vancouver
536 pages · Paperback · North Atlantic Books
Content warnings: addiction, mental-illness, substance-abuse