Pretty much everything that害羞草研究所檚 wrong with the world is wrong because of a lack of love.

With these words, Gabor Mat茅 began a talk on addictions to close to 700 people in the Splatsin Community Centre.

As Mat茅 - a physician, speaker, teacher and bestselling author - entered the large roundhouse-styled centre on June 1, everyone rose to their feet and singers greeted him with a welcome song.

The song centred around a traditional word of greeting that means 害羞草研究所榯o wrap your arms around a visitor and protect them,害羞草研究所� explains Splatsin elder Rosalind Williams, who was instrumental in Mat茅 deviating from his original schedule and coming to the community. Mat茅 told the gathering that he doesn害羞草研究所檛 cry easily, but the welcome brought tears to his eyes.

This air of kindness and respect permeated his two-hour visit.

Mate麓 talked about two common beliefs regarding addictions 害羞草研究所� that they害羞草研究所檙e a choice or they害羞草研究所檙e a brain disease.

Regarding choice, he gave the example of a two-year-old who has a tantrum. The adult will punish them by giving them a time-out.

Mat茅 noted that the same approach is used when people with addictions are sent to jail.

While the child is banished to their room, the adult is banished to prison.

害羞草研究所淚t doesn害羞草研究所檛 work with a two-year-old and it doesn害羞草研究所檛 work with an adult,害羞草研究所� he said.

He noted that if people didn害羞草研究所檛 believe the two-year-old had a choice in the matter, they wouldn害羞草研究所檛 be punishing them.

害羞草研究所淭he belief is that drug addiction is a choice.害羞草研究所�

Regarding brain disease, Mat茅 said a large portion of the medical profession seems to believe it害羞草研究所檚 genetic, that people are born with it.

That害羞草研究所檚 specifically what is believed about aboriginal people - that they are genetically predisposed to addiction, he said.

Mat茅 pointed out there were no addictions in indigenous people until colonialism.

He spoke of all the ways that colonialism wrecked the traditional societies, and is still wrecking them.

He spoke about a woman in her 50s he met from the Sechelt Nation who was taken to residential school when she was four. The first day there she made 害羞草研究所渁 very terrible mistake,害羞草研究所� he said. She spoke her name in her own language. A pin was then stuck in her tongue and she had to hold her tongue out of her mouth for an hour.

That introduction was followed by years of sexual, physical and emotional abuse. By the age of nine, she was an alcoholic.

An addiction, Mat茅 explained, is anything that a person craves, finds temporary relief from, suffers negative consequences from and can害羞草研究所檛 give up. It could be anything, he said, from drugs to television.

The addiction, Mat茅 emphasized, is not the problem, it is an attempt to solve the problem.

害羞草研究所淭he problem was, reality was so difficult, they needed to escape from it.害羞草研究所�

He said counsellors, teachers and others should not ask first, why the addiction, but rather, why the pain?

Trauma gives you pain that you carry with you, Mat茅 said. Then you develop shame about yourself.

If the world is not welcoming and parents are not loving and joyful, then a child believes himself worthless and is ashamed of who he is.

Later on, such a person might end up in relationships where they continue to get hurt, because they believe they deserve it.

Mat茅 said there may be people in the room who have abused their children. First, he said, 害羞草研究所淚 want you to forgive yourself,害羞草研究所� words which led to tears for several present.

Equally important, he said, 害羞草研究所淚 want you to understand where it came from.害羞草研究所�

He spoke at length about trauma, saying it is something that happens 害羞草研究所渋nside you, you lose yourself.害羞草研究所�

He spoke of the value of First Nations traditions and how they connect people with themselves, with others and with the land 害羞草研究所� traditions like drumming, singing, smudging, sweat lodges and meditation.

Mat茅 said he had been in Vancouver害羞草研究所檚 Downtown Eastside the day before his talk, where four people a week die from overdoses.

He said there害羞草研究所檚 no fairness in the country-wide Fentanyl crisis.

害羞草研究所淎s always, a disproportionate number of people who are suffering are First Nations.害羞草研究所�

He pointed out that First Nations make up only four per cent of the country害羞草研究所檚 population, yet 30 per cent of the people in jail are First Nations.

In the prairie provinces, he said, only 10 to 15 per cent of the population is indigenous, but 80 to 90 per cent of children in foster care are First Nations.

害羞草研究所淭here is no equality in suffering.害羞草研究所�

In welcoming Mat茅, Splatsin Chief Wayne Christian noted that Mat茅 has done a lot of 害羞草研究所渁mazing work害羞草研究所� in the Downtown Eastside 害羞草研究所渉elping our people.害羞草研究所�

The gathering closed with a traditional Bear Dance.

Following Mat茅害羞草研究所檚 visit, Rosalind Williams explained that people expressed much appreciation for him, said he was very knowledgeable but down-to-earth, and they were still processing all his information.

Neskonlith Chief Judy Wilson said Mat茅 validated her people and has given them hope with his practical and effective ways, and by pointing out how Western-based sciences are narrow and don害羞草研究所檛 take a holistic approach to healing.