In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction

by Gabor Maté

The hit musical Little Shop of Horrors offers a brilliant metaphorical image of addiction. Seymour, a little nebbish of a flower shop clerk (played most famously in the 1986 film version by Rick Moranis) takes pity on a “strange and unusual” little plant that’s dying of malnutrition. It brings the shop some much-needed business, but there’s a problem. No one can figure out what the plant, named Audrey II after Seymour’s sweetheart, needs for nourishment until one night Seymour accidentally pricks a finger and the plant hungrily swallows the drops of blood dripping from the wound. Only temporarily appeased, the plant wants more, and Seymour dutifully offers up another dose of his precious plasma. The plant then takes on a personality and voice of its own. Piteously the little plant pleads and cajoles, promising to be Seymour’s slave. But then it issues an abrupt command: “Feed me, Seymour!” Terrified, Seymour does as he’s told. The plant thrives and becomes huger and hungrier, and Seymour weakens and becomes anemic—morally, as well as physically. When it looks as if he’s going to be bled (literally) dry, Seymour stumbles on the idea of feeding the plant human corpses and is led into a new part-time vocation: murder. By the finale Seymour is forced to wage a heroic battle against the bloodthirsty Audrey II. Bent on conquest and power, the plant no longer even bothers to feign friendship. So it is with addiction. Beginning with only the few drops of blood you’re ready to dona...