Economic development Quote by Gabor Maté
““The salient stressors in the lives of most human beings today — at least in the industrialized world — are emotional. Just like laboratory animals unable to escape, people find themselves trapped in lifestyles and emotional patterns inimical to their health. The higher the level of economic development, it seems, the more anaesthetized we have become to our emotional realities. We no longer sense what is happening in our bodies and cannot therefore act in self-preserving ways. The physiology of stress eats away at our bodies not because it has outlived its usefulness but because we may no longer have the competence to recognize its signals.””
About This Quote
Source Book: In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts, 2008
Modern life numbs emotional awareness, causing stress to damage health unnoticed.
In simple terms: We ignore bodily signals due to emotional disconnection.
Key Takeaway
Reconnect with bodily sensations to manage stress.
Themes
health
stress
emotional awareness
Mood
concerned
urgent
Type
educational
reflective
When to use this quote
- workplace
- urban living
- personal health
- parenting
Key Concepts
physiology
psychosomatics
modernity
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you become more attuned to your body?
- What habits keep you disconnected?
A Different Perspective
Emotional numbness can worsen health outcomes if unaddressed.
