Edited by Christine Hauskeller and Peter Sjöstedt-Hughes

A New Look At Psychedelic Drugs

Review by Gunnel Minett

Ways to achieve altered states of consciousness have been known to mankind throughout human history. Initially it was part of sacred rituals, usually performed by specially initiated people, who had been selected and prepared for the task for a long time. The methods used were to inhale or consume plants and other natural substances, found in nature, or to use techniques such as dancing, chanting, lack of food or sleep etc. But in the last century drugs were developed that could achieve the same mind-altering results. They became known as psychedelic drugs with one of the best known called LSD.

When LSD first was developed in the 1930’s it was intended as a drug for breathing disorders (interestingly since some breathwork techniques will give similar mind-altering experiences as LSD). But when its strange ‘side-effects’ were established LSD became interesting for a whole area of research. In particular in psychotherapy it opened up a whole new area of ‘wonder-drug’ research with very exciting results. Therapists found that they could treat patients with only a few LSD sessions instead of years of conventional psychotherapy. 

Unfortunately LSD also got the attention from CIA in America that started a number of tests to work our how they could use it in warfare. This research, more than anything led to a complete ban on the use of psychedelic drugs in USA, both in research and in society as a whole, where the use as a recreational drug had spread rapidly. Richard Nixon declared the drugs to be the biggest threat to mankind in American history and “public enemy no 1”. And with similar problems of people getting in to serious mental problems after taking the drugs in other parts of the world, it soon became a world-wide ban.

It is not until recently that psychedelic drugs have been allowed back in to the therapy sessions, albeit under strict control. This has meant a revival of many of the aspects of altered states of consciousness. To reflect this the book is a compilation of articles from experts in this field, highlighting the various aspects of mind-altering therapy. Christine Hauskeller, for instance, writes in her chapter on Individualisation and Alienation in Psychedelic Psychotherapy: “Psychedelic experiences are characterised as leaving one’s everyday ordinary modes of mental and physical states, instead experiencing, even exploring, mind and self, past experiences, and sensory precautions differently”. (p 107). She even claims that: “Psychedelics are framed as a magic bullet in biomedical psychotherapy.” (P108)

To deliberately help a person to reach altered states of consciousness opens up a whole philosophical discussion around reality, soul, life and death issues. They are discussed in the various chapters as well as presentations of some of the leading figures in this field such as William James, Alfred North Whitehead, Aldus Huxley, Carl Jung and Zen masters, who all have shared their personal experiences of altered states of consciousness. 

The conclusions to draw from this book are that psychedelic drugs can be compared to a powerful opener into a new understanding of not just the individual mind, but to the whole understanding of creation. This time around with the aid of our expanded understanding of the universe we live in via quantum physics and brain research. 

Words of caution are also raised by the different authors, that we need to show enormous respect for the power of these drugs and make sure they are used sensibly. This is not to echo Nixon’s fear of enemy No 1 but more to reflect the fact that we perhaps need to rethink our narrow understanding of the human psyche and be open to a new expansion of our overall understanding of life. 

Bloomsbury Academic, 2022, 280 pp, ISBN 978-1350373419