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How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence

Questions About How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence

by Michael Pollan (Goodreads Author)

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Answered Questions (11)

Would anyone care to share a comment on whether Pollan has gone off the deep end wit this one? I really enjoyed "The Omnivore's Dilemma," but this sounds from the dust jacket/publisher blurb to the reader being treated to an experience of the author's high without doing the drug.
Brian Not at all. The book is divided into three main sections. The first is a history of research in the (mostly psychiatric) use of psychedelics. The thir…moreNot at all. The book is divided into three main sections. The first is a history of research in the (mostly psychiatric) use of psychedelics. The third part is a look at current research into the ways these molecules actually affect the brain--in other words, it explores the question of the mechanism of efficacy. The middle section is Pollan's recounting of some of his experiences using these molecules, though I wouldn't describe this as treating the reader to his high. Rather, he tries to put into words what he experienced, and his point here is how that changed him from an open-minded, atheist skeptic into a even more open-minded revisionist of materialist views of the world. Where once he saw an opposition, as he says, between "spiritual" and "materialist," he now views the opposition as between spiritual and egotistical. As difficult as it is for members of such a stridently individualist culture to grasp, Pollan now argues that that is the source of some of our most critical health care issues, e.g., addiction and depression. So don't underrate this book because of jacket hype. He may be (still) on the cutting edge, but this book (and the research it presents) is in far from going off the deep end. He has, as usual (especially for readers of The Botany of Desire, a far better book than The Omnivore's Dilemma), opened a reasoned, thoroughly researched, and open-minded window onto an area of research that for decades has helped those suffering from anxiety, alcoholism, and more.(less)
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When this book was published?
Marie Kos May 17th, 2018.
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Is it pure coincidence that this came out shortly ahead of the enantiomer of ketamine being recycled by big pharma and rubber stamped by the FDA as an incredibly expensive new treatment for depression? For the air-cover a book like this provides such shenanigans, you'd at least hope the author would get flown out to some company retreats in sunny locales and pull down a nice speaker's fee for his trouble.
David Salter I vote for pure coincidence.

Although Pollan mentions ketamine in passing, it does not figure prominently in the book. It's difficult to imagine anyone…moreI vote for pure coincidence.

Although Pollan mentions ketamine in passing, it does not figure prominently in the book. It's difficult to imagine anyone reading "How to Change Your Mind" and coming away eager to try ketamine therapy.(less)
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Is this book still worth reading two years after it's publication?
Marco Antonio Alcalá Absolutely. It covers some of the history of psychedelics during the 20th century and the renovated interest during more recent years, the author's fi…moreAbsolutely. It covers some of the history of psychedelics during the 20th century and the renovated interest during more recent years, the author's first-hand experiences with some psychedelics and just a little bit of the science. I think it's very much introductory of the subject and a lot of the stuff I suppose would be common knowledge for someone who has been interested in the topic for some time. If your concern is that it would be somehow out of date or irrelevant, rest assured that's not the case.(less)
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What's a good way to keep following the research he wrote about (especially stuff about the "normal network" later in the book)?
Suresh I think you are talking about the research of Judson Brewer that he describes https://www.pnas.org/content/108/50/2...
I found the following article to…moreI think you are talking about the research of Judson Brewer that he describes https://www.pnas.org/content/108/50/2...
I found the following article to provide a good overview
https://www.thecut.com/2017/01/why-yo...(less)
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