Addiction Quote by Gabor Maté
““Addictions, even as they resemble normal human yearnings, are more about desire than attainment. In the addicted mode, the emotional charge is in the pursuit and the acquisition of the desired object, not in the possession and enjoyment of it. The greatest pleasure is in the momentary satisfaction of yearning. The fundamental addiction is to the fleeting experience of not being addicted. The addict craves the absence of the craving state. For a brief moment he’s liberated from emptiness, from boredom, from lack of meaning, from yearning, from being driven or from pain. He is free. His enslavement to the external — the substance, the object or the activity — consists of the impossibility, in his mind, of finding within himself the freedom from longing or irritability.””
About This Quote
Source Book: In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts, 2008
Addiction is driven by the chase of desire, not by the enjoyment of the object; the true relief comes from a brief escape from craving itself.
In simple terms: Addiction is about wanting more, not having more.
Key Takeaway
Seek freedom from the craving cycle.
Themes
addiction
desire
freedom
psychology
Mood
reflective
hopeful
Type
philosophical
psychological
When to use this quote
- therapy sessions
- self‑reflection
- support groups
- mindfulness practice
Key Concepts
craving cycle
emptiness
meaninglessness
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you find moments of freedom without external substances?
- What does “being free” feel like for you?
A Different Perspective
The model may oversimplify complex neurobiological factors.
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