Summer is a time for reading. Although I have a list of books waiting for me that would stretch from Trenton to Belmar, NJ, sometimes I hear about something and just have to pick it up and devour it. Such was the case with How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence, (Penguin, 2018), or, as I've been calling it, "The LSD Book." Michael Pollan is one of my favorite nonfiction writers, and as I'm working on an essay which might or might not tangentally mention psychedelic influences on music and art, I thought this book would provide me with a good background. It did that, and so much more.
I don't want to give away the whole book, but you can see by the subtitle I just mentioned that Pollan will be discussing how LSD and other similar drugs could be used to treat depression, anxiety, and addiction among other situations. Some folks claim it even helped them come to terms with their inevitable death (existential distress). All of that is fascinating. And well documented by Pollan, of course. We're not talking about LSD and psilocybin as party drugs here, mostly; psychedelics didn't get their illicit reputation until research money dried up in the 1960s and the drugs and the study of them went underground. For those interested in the brain science, it's here too, and it is clear enough for this Humanities person to understand.
What is especially fascinating in this book is that Pollan himself experiments with LSD, magic mushrooms, something called "The Toad," and other psychedelics, usually under the supervision of
an experienced ("sober") guide, and after conducting his usual meticulous research. (If someone said to him, "Michael, how can you make this story unique to you?" He nailed it.) As I, personally, have no desire to experiment with such substances (they are not without risk), my knowledge feels enhanced by Pollan's compelling, detailed, honest explanations of his trips. I can't imagine that he has left anything out. He details how he decides which substance to try, how much of a dose, and how he decides on the perfect guide. Surprising to me is how important the location of the trip will be. Novices are encouraged to bring items of their own into the environment and to choose music. (This is where the 'transcendence' of the subtitle comes in.) The process is fascinating before we even learn about how one becomes "one" with music or art or nature. That this kind of experience is being studied as a treatment for anxiety, depression, addiction, and other problems gives the drugs some credibility. You decide--don't believe me.
I was engrossed by this book from start to finish, and I'm pretty sure I told all the friends I encountered during my reading about it, eagerly. I read a lot, and I talk to people (lots of people), and I thought I knew a thing or two. But once I started talking about this book and psychedelics I learned so much more and had some intriguing conversations. You should read this book. If you've read any Michael Pollan before (The Omnivore's Dilemma or The Botany of Desire among others), you know that his prose sails smoothly through sparkling waters and you'll enjoy the trip (no pun intended).
Pollan is showing up all over the media and there are many interviews by reputable outlets on YouTube. Here's a short interview from CBS This Morning:
