This is a great documentary on this website called the Wisdom of Trauma with Gabor Maté. All about the cause of addictions.
There’s currently also great discussions with him other interesting experts that can be accessed live or else view the recording of the discussions that are available for 24 hours. I really liked the the 2nd and 3rd discussions today. I haven’t viewed the 1st discussion yet.
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This is on a website, right? I couldn’t find it on Ted talks.
Yes it’s available to watch until tomorrow (Oct 14) on the website wisdomoftrauma.com But you can also buy some kinda all access pass to watch it any time I think. The recorded talks between him and various experts of one sort or another are good too.
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Thete’s plenty of evidence that contradicts this theory though…
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I’m curious why you would make this comment without elaborating.
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Well there are lots of reasons people become addicts…mental health issues, environment, partying suddenly turns in to addiction…( think rock stars)…
But it could be argued that in all those cases some sort of trauma, which can include versions that are not overt, occurred somewhere along the line. Anything that prompts a person to want to indulge in escapism in some fashion, which can even include an addiction to thinking or daydreaming, can be considered a trauma. But I must admit that the word “trauma” sounds like such a strong word for some things - some reasons - that make you want to escape your own feelings.
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It could be argued yes but I don’t think people always indulge to escape. For some, it starts out as ‘fun’.
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I reckon you might be right but if you drink chronically, perhaps it’s to cover up some jazz.
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It might be or it could just be that your tolerance has increased…although, I agree, if you’re drowning yourself in booze, there’s probably some kind of problems going on.
I agree that there could likely be some kinda problem being covered up if you’re marinating your brain in vodka. And yet I noticed with myself that my mental anxiety would build and build throughout the day and I’d resort to the same relief every day and it was from my baby bottle 
in the form of a bottle of alcohol. It is debatable, therefore, that the source of the anxiety was simply a dependence on the booze to be able to relax and so there may not necessarily have been underlying trauma causing the drinking.
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