Gabor Maté

Gabor Maté is a Canadian physician and author with a special interest in the connection between mind and body health and the effects of stress and trauma on human development. He is best known for his work in the field of addiction medicine, and for his best-selling books, In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction and When the Body Says No: The Cost of Hidden Stress.

Maté was born in Budapest, Hungary, and moved to Canada with his family in 1957. He obtained his medical degree from the University of British Columbia in 1975 and later specialized in family medicine, palliative care, and physical and occupational therapy. He has worked extensively in the field of addiction medicine. He has consulted for various organizations, including the Canadian Centre for Addictions and Mental Health, the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, and the Vancouver Health Department.

Maté's writing and lectures focus on the science of the mind-body connection and how stress, trauma, and addiction can affect our physical, mental, and emotional health. He is a firm believer that addiction is a symptom of a deeper underlying issue and that the root causes of addiction must be addressed in order to achieve lasting recovery. He is also a proponent of harm reduction strategies, including needle exchange programs, supervised injection sites, and safe injection kits.

Maté has authored several books, including Scattered: How Attention Deficit Disorder Originates and What You Can Do About It, The Myth of Normal: Illness and Health in an Age of Compulsion, and When the Body Says No: The Cost of Hidden Stress. He has also written several articles and papers on the topics of addiction, mental health, and trauma.

Maté has been featured in several documentaries, including Gabor Maté's Addiction File and In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts, which follow his work in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. He has also appeared as a guest speaker for various organizations and universities and has lectured extensively on the topics of addiction, trauma, and mental health.

Maté has received numerous awards for his work, including the Order of British Columbia, the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal, and the Mental Health Services Award from the Canadian Mental Health Association. He is also a member of the Order of Canada and has been inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame.

Maté has inspired a generation of health professionals, researchers, and academics to think differently about addiction and mental health. His work has helped to bridge the gap between physical and mental health and has opened the door to a greater understanding of the mind-body connection. He continues to work with organizations and individuals around the world, helping them to better understand and manage addiction and mental health issues.