How to Change Your Mind

ByMichael Pollan

Release Date: 2018-05-15
Genre: Health, Mind & Body

Score: 4.5

4.5

From 708 Ratings

Description

“Pollan keeps you turning the pages . . . cleareyed and assured.” —New York Times

A #1 New York Times Bestseller, New York Times Book Review 10 Best Books of 2018, and New York Times Notable Book

A brilliant and brave investigation into the medical and scientific revolution taking place around psychedelic drugs—and the spellbinding story of his own life-changing psychedelic experiences

When Michael Pollan set out to research how LSD and psilocybin (the active ingredient in magic mushrooms) are being used to provide relief to people suffering from difficult-to-treat conditions such as depression, addiction and anxiety, he did not intend to write what is undoubtedly his most personal book. But upon discovering how these remarkable substances are improving the lives not only of the mentally ill but also of healthy people coming to grips with the challenges of everyday life, he decided to explore the landscape of the mind in the first person as well as the third. Thus began a singular adventure into various altered states of consciousness, along with a dive deep into both the latest brain science and the thriving underground community of psychedelic therapists. Pollan sifts the historical record to separate the truth about these mysterious drugs from the myths that have surrounded them since the 1960s, when a handful of psychedelic evangelists inadvertently catalyzed a powerful backlash against what was then a promising field of research.

A unique and elegant blend of science, memoir, travel writing, history, and medicine, How to Change Your Mind is a triumph of participatory journalism. By turns dazzling and edifying, it is the gripping account of a journey to an exciting and unexpected new frontier in our understanding of the mind, the self, and our place in the world. The true subject of Pollan's "mental travelogue" is not just psychedelic drugs but also the eternal puzzle of human consciousness and how, in a world that offers us both suffering and joy, we can do our best to be fully present and find meaning in our lives.

Reviews

Ground Breaking Experience
5
By Choosepeacenow
The exploration of human consciousness, opening of the mind into extraordinary realms and experiences, offers hope to resolving interminable conflicts. This includes internal as well as interpersonal and international conflicts through experiences described in #how to change your mind. A must read on the list of anyone interested in making themselves and the world, more peaceful and secure.
Fantastic!
5
By Griff573
I learned so much!
Fantastic book
5
By CamKillam
This book was a wonderful description of the relationship between consciousness and our egos. Very trippy
Myth busting
4
By 1945$Mac
Fascinating science. I avoided the psychedelics 50+ years ago. But maybe I shouldn’t have.
Mac, retired MD
Great read!
5
By A.R.1964
Great read!
Didn’t Read This Yet But i’m giving what the book is a Nickel. Nota dime or penny but a nickel!!
5
By Y($)L1Att
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Y($)L1Att
Fantastic
5
By BennyBoyNYC
Love this so much
Not just about drugs, but about the mind and people who are trying to improve society
5
By Herman212
This book is a good story about how people evolve in their beliefs when it comes to a subject so personal as to how to change your mind. I’m personally well versed in the history of psychology and treatments available over the past 15 years or so. What I learned from this book is not only eye opening but inspiring to see how collectively humans strive to make improvements to quality of life that I never thought possible.
My new favorite Publisher
5
By Truhoopa
Thank you Mr. Pollan for teaching people actually fiction. I absolutely recommend this book for people that’s looking to find all real facts.
Paradigm Shift
5
By VirginiaFlyBoy
Will change what you think you knew about Psychedelics. Seems only a matter of time before they are accepted as formal treatment options for some mental disorders.