How To Heal Addiction By Understanding What It Really Is | Gabor Maté

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"Addiction is never a choice and it's not some kind of genetic disease, which that is total nonsense. What it actually is, is an attempt to solve a problem in your life." - Gabor Maté

Gabor Maté doesn't sugarcoat it. When he asks what addiction gave you, he's not interested in shame or judgment. He wants you to see the truth: you were trying to escape something. Lewis admits he felt trapped throughout his entire childhood, and Gabor names it immediately. That's what addiction is for. It's for people who feel imprisoned, who need an escape from pain they didn't ask for. Gabor shares his own struggle with workaholism, driven by a desperate need to prove he had the right to exist, that he was worthy of love. These aren't moral failures. They're survival responses to trauma that got embedded in childhood, and they've been following you ever since.

Here's what changes everything: addiction isn't about what's wrong with you. It's about what happened to you, and what you've been trying to solve ever since. Gabor walks through why virtually everyone in a room would raise their hand if asked whether they have an addiction by his definition, because most of us are trying to escape something we couldn't control. He's clear that while rare spiritual moments in nature can sometimes spark healing, most of us need self-awareness, support, connection, and guidance. This conversation strips away the myths about addiction being a disease or a choice, and reveals the trapped child underneath who's still trying to break free. If you've been waiting for that miraculous moment to heal, Gabor's message is direct: don't wait. Get the help, because you have a much better chance that way.

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