Close Encounters With Addiction is a lecture Dr. Gabor Maté gave in Los Angeles in April 2011. He talks about his experience as a physician and how many of his patients suffer from mental illness, drug addiction and HIV, or all three.

Gabor Maté, MD is a physician and bestselling author whose books have been published in nearly twenty languages worldwide. Dr. Maté is highly sought after for his expertise on a range of topics, from addiction and attention deficit disorder (ADD) to mind-body wellness, adolescent mental health, and parenting. A renowned thinker and public speaker, he addresses audiences all over North America, including professional and academic groups like nurses' organizations, psychiatry departments, and corporate conventions, as well as presentations and seminars for local community groups and the general public. As a writer and speaker, he is widely known for the power, insight, clarity, candour, compassion, humor, and warmth of his presentations.

Common to all of Dr. Maté's work is a focus on understanding the broader context in which human disease and disorders arise, from cancer to autoimmune conditions like MS, rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, or fibromyalgia; childhood behavioral disorders like ADD, oppositionality, or bullying; or addiction, from substance abuse to obsessive gambling, shopping, or even workaholism.

Rather than offering facile, quick-fix solutions to these complex issues, Dr. Maté weaves together scientific research, case histories, and his own insights and experience to present a broad perspective that enlightens and empowers people to promote their own healing and that of those around them. His approach is holistic and kaleidoscopic - linking everything from neurophysiology, immunology, and developmental psychology to economic and social policy - and even touches on the spiritual dimensions of disease and healing.

Close Encounters With Addiction is an ebook adaptation of a lecture Dr. Gabor Maté gave in Los Angeles about his experience as a physician treating patients with addiction, trauma, and mental illness.