This audiobook is narrated by a digital voice.
When Michael Pollan set out to research the use of LSD and psilocybin (the active ingredient in magic mushrooms) as treatments for difficult-to-treat conditions like depression, addiction, and anxiety, he didn't intend to write his most personal book. However, after learning how these substances are improving the lives of both mentally ill individuals and healthy people grappling with life's everyday challenges, he decided to dive deeper—exploring the landscape of the mind not just in the third person, but in the first.
Thus began Pollan's adventure into altered states of consciousness, a journey that combined cutting-edge brain science with a deep immersion in the thriving underground world of psychedelic therapists. He sifts through history to separate fact from myth, especially considering how psychedelic substances were once on the verge of promising breakthroughs in the 1960s before being met with a powerful backlash.
Blending science, memoir, history, travel writing, and medicine, How to Change Your Mind is a triumph of participatory journalism. Pollan's exploration of psychedelics is not just about drugs; it is about consciousness itself—the quest to understand our minds, the self, and our place in the world. This captivating narrative invites readers to explore how we can navigate both the suffering and joy in life, and find meaning in the process.
