Addiction – Response to Emotional Pain

Here’s today’s post – Addiction – Response to Emotional Pain. Renowned addiction expert, Dr. Gabor Maté once said, “Addiction is not a choice anybody makes. It is a response to emotional pain.” Eminent Psychiatrist Dr. Devendra Save talks more about the problem.

Addiction – Response to Emotional Pain

Dr. Devendra Save informs, “Dr. Gabor Maté calls for a compassionate approach toward addiction, whether in ourselves or in others. Dr. Maté believes that the source of the addiction is not to be found in genes but in the early childhood environment, especially as a consequence of certain important needs not being met. According to him, an addiction manifests in any behavior that a person finds temporary pleasure or relief in and therefore craves, suffers negative consequences from and has trouble giving it up. So, there’s craving, relief and pleasure in the short term and negative outcomes in the long term, along with an inability to give it up. That’s what an addiction is. Note that this definition says nothing about substances. While addiction is often to substances, it could be to anything — to religion, to gambling, to shopping, to eating, to the internet, to relationships, to work, even to extreme sports. The issue with the addiction is not the external activity but the internal relationship to it.”