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

How to Change Your Mind

What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence

Michael Pollan

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Religion & SpiritualityHealth & NutritionPsychology

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How to Change Your Mind
Changing Perceptions+
Origins and Identification+
The Guided Experience+
Neuroscience+
Therapeutic Applications+
Shift in Perspective+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 8
What was the significance of Roland Griffiths' 2006 study at Johns Hopkins University?
  • A. It proved that psychedelics are chemically identical to hard drugs like cocaine and heroin.
  • B. It was the first scientifically rigorous study since the 1960s to show psychedelics could provide meaningful, beneficial mystical experiences.
  • C. It led to the immediate legalization of psilocybin mushrooms in the United States.
  • D. It demonstrated that synthetic psychedelics are safer than naturally occurring ones.
Question 2 of 8
According to the text, why is it highly recommended NOT to forage for psychedelic mushrooms without an expert?
  • A. They are rapidly going extinct and need to be preserved for scientific research.
  • B. They lose their potency if not harvested using specific indigenous techniques.
  • C. They often grow right next to virtually identical, extremely deadly mushrooms like Galerina autumnalis.
  • D. They are illegal to pick, and foragers face severe federal prison sentences.
Question 3 of 8
Why does the author recommend taking LSD with an experienced guide rather than a close friend or partner?
  • A. A close friend might distract you by making you worry about their experience instead of letting go.
  • B. A guide is legally required to administer the drug in most states.
  • C. Close friends are more likely to induce a 'bad trip' by playing loud music.
  • D. Guides possess special antidotes to stop the trip if it becomes too intense.
Question 4 of 8
What did neuroscientist Robin Carhart-Harris discover about the brain during a psychedelic trip using magnetoencephalography?
  • A. The brain shuts down its emotional centers to process visual information more clearly.
  • B. Specialized areas of the brain become highly isolated, functioning completely independently.
  • C. The brain becomes highly interconnected, with specialized areas communicating and functioning as an integrated unit.
  • D. The brain's memory centers are temporarily paralyzed, causing a sense of timelessness.
Question 5 of 8
How are psychedelic drugs currently being utilized in some specialized hospital trials, such as those in New York City?
  • A. To help terminal patients reduce anxiety and depression, allowing them to face death more peacefully.
  • B. To cure early-stage cancers by boosting the immune system's response.
  • C. To act as an alternative to anesthesia during major surgeries.
  • D. To help doctors empathize more deeply with the pain of their patients.
Question 6 of 8
In Matthew Johnson's study on using psilocybin to help long-term smokers quit, what factor made patients more likely to stay abstinent?
  • A. The physical side effects of the drug, which made them associate smoking with nausea.
  • B. The occurrence of a more intense and transformative mystical experience during the session.
  • C. The realization of how much money they were spending on cigarettes.
  • D. The strict cognitive behavioral coaching that replaced the drug sessions.
Question 7 of 8
According to clinical psychologist Rosalind Watts, how do psychedelics primarily help alleviate chronic depression?
  • A. By artificially boosting serotonin levels to a permanent baseline.
  • B. By suppressing traumatic memories that trigger depressive episodes.
  • C. By inducing a state of deep sleep that resets the brain's circadian rhythm.
  • D. By replacing a depressive state of disconnection with a renewed sense of connection to the world and others.
Question 8 of 8
During his psilocybin trip with his guide Mary, what did Michael Pollan experience regarding his sense of self?
  • A. His ego completely dissolved, leaving only an unbiased, unburdened consciousness.
  • B. His ego was significantly amplified, giving him a sense of supreme confidence.
  • C. He felt his consciousness split into two distinct, arguing personalities.
  • D. He entirely lost his ability to perceive the physical world around him.

How to Change Your Mind — Full Chapter Overview

How to Change Your Mind Summary & Overview

How to Change Your Mind (2018) is a fascinating account of one man’s exploration of the psychedelic drug world. Author Michael Pollan takes readers along for the ride as he learns first-hand about the positive aspects of psychedelic drugs, including the healing and restorative effects they can have on people suffering from depression and addiction. Readers will also hear from neuroscientists to learn exactly what is happening in the brain during a psychedelic trip.

Who Should Listen to How to Change Your Mind?

  • Psychologists and therapists
  • Depressive people and addicts
  • Spiritual seekers

About the Author: Michael Pollan

Michael Pollan is an author and journalist who was considered one of the hundred most influential contemporary minds by Time magazine in 2010. His other books include In Defense of Food (2008), Food Rules (2009), and The Botany of Desire (2001). He is also a professor of journalism at the University of California, Berkeley.

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