Dr Gabor Maté | Don’t Ignore Your Own Needs (Part 3)

We tend to believe that normality equals health. Yet what is the norm in the Western world? Joining us live on stage in London – in conversation with filmmaker and author David Malone - the renowned physician, addiction expert and author Gabor Maté dissects the underlying causes of this malaise – physical and emotional, and connects the dots between our personal suffering and the pressures of modern-day living.
Illness and trauma are defining how we live. 45% of Europeans suffer high blood pressure, and nearly 70% of Americans take at least one prescription drug.
Over four decades of clinical experience, Dr Gabor Maté has found that the common definition of ‘normal’ is false: virtually all disease is actually a natural reflection of life in an abnormal culture, as we grow further and further apart from our true selves.
Filled with stories of people in the grip of illness or in the triumphant wake of recovery, this life-affirming talk from the beloved physician and author will show how true health is possible – if we are willing to embrace authenticity above social expectations.
Gabor Maté is a retired physician, bestselling author and renowned speaker, highly sought after for his expertise on addiction, trauma, stress and childhood development. He has written four bestselling books published in nearly thirty languages, including the award-winning In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction. He has been awarded the Order of Canada (his country’s equivalent of the MBE) and the Civic Merit Award from his hometown, Vancouver, for his ground-breaking medical work and writing.
David Malone is a filmmaker and TV presenter whose documentaries include Testing God, Soul Searching (both Channel 4), Dangerous Knowledge and The Secret Life of Waves (both BBC). He is the author of The Debt Generation.

[lillumination]

I got so sucked into the needs of my parents, society pressure to be formatted, then husband, kids, career so-to-speak... that after leaving the abusive spouse, I was so estranged from myself that it took me 2 years to start shopping food for my own needs, for example. For I lost myself in that abyss of being a mother Teresa.

[Cherabreena]

I find this to be absolutely true. I spent the majority of my life being a people pleaser and my health suffered greatly. It wasn’t until I entered my thirties and finally learned to set boundaries and leave every toxic relation behind, that my health started flourishing.

Especially after leaving my last relationship of 4+ years where I’d started suffering from anxiety after being traumatized by the person’s actions. My blood pressure was high despite eating super healthy. Sleep was terrible. Crying at night. My face broke out constantly. Migraines started becoming frequent (never suffered from that before) sudden ear/hearing problems that no doctors could explain. My period went haywire. Lots of physical symptoms.

A month after I left and went no contact with this person all of those symptoms disappeared. ALL OF THEM! AFTER 1 MONTH!! That’s when I learned the true meaning of the word ‘toxic’ when it comes to human interactions. Choose your company CAREFULLY!!

[MissNamaSlay]

Our families sometimes are the cause of most our sufferings and we .. never blame them . We are wiser.. we are more compassionate and we suffer . I’m so grateful for having meditation .. yoga .. the intellect to see exactly what I need to do, for my adult peace . Generation breakers have the toughest times but we can prevail if we change our minds ! It’s never to late to be better, to keep trying and to want more !

[chadmichael_]

My Rheumatoid Arthritis (which I was diagnosed with at 30) was the cure. It was my body metaphorically trying to tell me something. I am 32 and off all medications. I sometimes take a low dose of prednisone every once in awhile but I don’t make a big deal anymore about a minor flare up. I just think, “what stresses did I let into my life without standing up for my own needs” and I move on. I’m getting better at that everyday with practice. My rheumatologist is perplexed and annoyed by me. You’d think he’d be happy for me. Same with my primary care physician.

[Lightseeker]

How we collectively needed this man to find the strength and courage to live authentically and then share that wisdom so generously with us. Thank you doctor for leading the way. SO much respect for Dr Gabor Mate- and so much more gratitude.

[rachelsspaceyogabreathsoun]

Gabor is soo on point. My mother has MS and I observed she had no self esteem and put other people needs before herself. I repeated the cycle which was also wrapped in child trauma of needed to tend my parents needs to keep myself safe. My nervous system was soo deregulated I spent years in fight mode then to freeze and collapse. I have many symptoms that align with an auto immune disease. It’s a minute by minute process to put myself and my needs first. I’m reformed people pleaser and in a way the symptoms that I experience are a gift and stop me from doing to much and not living from an authentic place. I have found yoga particularly restorative, meditation, IFS, reiki, sound healing vagus nerve activation, compassion practices, talk therapy, somatic experiencing, building community connection with other women that is heart based. I know it possible to heal and I am soo grateful to Gabor for he’s incredible work.

[April-ifxo]

Big Thanks!, Dr. Maté. I am almost 71 years old and recently I realized, without having watched your excellent videos, that I was lacking authenticity. I was doing everything possible and silencing myself to please my sons, big men now. I had to "cut" -"my" attachments - being a single parent since they were 6 & 7. It was not easy, but I am living in tranquility, cleaned all expectations about calls -never arrived-, a moment to see them -for what I was telling mistakenly myself that I was just breathing to have one single minute to see them again.
I am free now, and probably, I have freed them as well. I am not a child, I moved to another place, and I have peace-health, hopefully in my body as in my mind.
Big Thanks!, again. You are helping me to see that I made the right decision, one of the most important and tough of my life. Love 💓

[surpriseguest]

I can strongly relate to this, people pleasing destroyed my life

[icanletgo-recoveryfromhoar]

WORD. I am dealing with hoarding issues. I no longer say, "I have hoarding disorder" because I don't want to give "it" that power over me. I also no longer hate myself for the hoarding issues. They are a coping mechanism that enabled me to survive childhood trauma. And now my Inner Adult is working on helping my Inner Child heal 🙏😌💕✨

[timhardman]

Anger is a boundary defense. YES. It is healthy when acting as a protection system against being invaded. THANKS. What a nice way of putting it. Great. 👍🏻😉🚀

[denise]

For me, I was totally alone as a child, having been bullied at school. As an adult, the only way I found some connection with other people was if I was helping them. Just this week, my face reacted by swelling, becoming red and painful, and I am feeling overwhelmed at not taking care of my own self. I must listen to my feelings and put myself first.

[livondiramerian]

You can't give what you don't have.

[Jo-khyo]

Louise Hay talked about this in her book "You can heal your life" there is a section in the book with an alphabetical list of diseases and their metaphysical causes.

[UXtatic]

So glad Maté is getting his truly proper due. Started watching him 4 years ago in the midst of a family member's cancer journey. As an observer, I saw exactly what he was saying.😔😔😔😔

[rochellecaffee]

Jesus tells his people, “DO NOT be afraid”, 365 times in the Bible. Fear is the “bottom level” to stress. I love what you are helping people understand. Thank you.❤😊

[MayaLove]

This was so me and I developed severe chronic fatigue and CPTSD because I wasn’t looking at it, my body basically shut down, it’s been a 9 year journey slowly healing the suffering I’ve held for others and slowly trying to believe I deserve to look after myself on all levels. It’s still difficult.

[henoheno]

Legend Mr mate. This man needs to be heard..

[shenanklinger-fenech]

Thank you Dr. Mate for helping me understand that taking care of my own needs is not just something I ought to try out or some new age trend. It is my biggest duty and highest priority to take care of my own needs in order to stay healthy, well balanced and able to care for others in a better way.

[jandrews]

This realisation came to me after having flown in aircraft umpteen times and hearing the instruction to put on your own O2 mask before helping anyone else, even your child.
Of course! If you don’t grab your mask and put it on, instead putting a mask on anyone else, you black out! And your usefulness ends right there.
So, care for your own needs so that you be of use to others.

[clarabelle]

And this is why I cannot and will not ever accept people being labelled. How about plain old acceptance and compassion for fellow human beings, with no agenda. Bill Hicks said stop putting a price on everything, I say that includes a ‘label’ 🙏❤️