In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction

A groundbreaking look at addiction and recovery from the bestselling author of The Myth of Normal—the modern self-help classic that reframes everything you were taught about trauma and substance abuse

Addictions always originate in pain, whether felt openly or hidden in the unconscious. In In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts, world-renowned physician and trauma expert Dr. Gabor Maté offers a transformative approach to understanding substance use disorder, recovery, and the root causes of addictive behavior.

Through compelling case studies, cutting-edge neuropsychiatric research, and clear-eyed analysis, Dr. Maté explores how personal history, emotional development, brain chemistry, social conditions, and structural factors—including unhealed developmental trauma—influence addiction. He advocates for humane, compassionate approaches that focus on whole-person, whole-culture healing, showing how punishment, stigma, and isolation only worsen outcomes.

This #1 international bestseller is essential for:

• Readers facing substance use challenges
• Families and caregivers supporting loved ones in active addiction and recovery
• Mental health professionals, therapists, and researchers exploring trauma-informed care

Dr. Maté reframes substance use disorder as a response to suffering, not a moral failure. He provides a radical, authoritative path toward understanding, hope, and societal repair. This book equips readers to offer compassionate support, advocate for effective social change, and make sense of addiction—which can be difficult for those who haven’t experienced it firsthand.

Since its original publication in 2010, In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts has remained a bedrock for anyone seeking insight into trauma, addiction, and recovery—and continues to lay a path toward hope and true healing.

Gabor Maté, MD, is a physician, author, seminar leader, and acclaimed public speaker. His bestselling books include Scattered, When the Body Says No, and Hold onto Your Kids. In 2022, he also co-authored The Myth of Normal, the instant New York Times bestseller, with his son, Daniel Maté. A former medical columnist for The Vancouver Sun and The Globe and Mail, Dr. Gabor Maté lives in Vancouver, BC.
 
Peter A. Levine, PhD, holds doctorates in both medical biophysics and psychology. He developed Somatic Experiencing, a body-awareness approach to trauma treatment, and his bestselling book Waking the Tiger has been translated into 22 languages. His other works include In an Unspoken Voice, Healing Trauma, Trauma and Memory, and Trauma Through a Child’s Eyes. He lives in Encinitas, CA.