Dr Olga Chernoloz’s Psychedelics A to Z: An Illustrated Journey Through the Captivating World of Psychedelics offers an expansive and visually engaging exploration of its multifaceted subject. Structured as an alphabetical journey, the book aims to demystify psychedelics for a mature, inquisitive audience, navigating through their historical uses, scientific underpinnings, cultural significance, and profound experiential effects. Chernoloz, a neuroscientist, brings a scientifically informed perspective, yet remains attuned to the ineffable nature of psychedelic experiences, encouraging readers to approach this complex world with curiosity and an open mind. Far from a simple encyclopaedia, it’s a carefully curated odyssey designed to illuminate the diverse landscape of psychedelic substances and their impact on human consciousness, culture, and well-being, without shying away from the challenges and complexities involved.
Summary Review of Psychedelics A to Z
Introduction: The author sets the stage by highlighting the limitations of language in conveying the richness of psychedelic experiences, drawing parallels with the evocative power of children’s books and the philosophical depth of Buddhism. It establishes the book’s “A to Z” format as an illustrated journey intended for curious adults, not children. Chernoloz acknowledges the historical pendulum swing from prohibition to renewed, sometimes sensationalised, interest, positioning psychedelics as potent tools rather than cure-alls. The introduction promises a comprehensive exploration, covering individual compounds like LSD and psilocybin, traditional cultural uses, neurobiology, legal frameworks, and the subjective effects, encouraging readers to “Learn the letters. Write your own story.”
A: Ayahuasca. Sacred plants of our ancestors. This chapter explores the ancient relationship between humanity and psychoactive plants, with a primary focus on Ayahuasca. It explores the concept of “sacred plants” used by ancestors, touching upon other significant botanicals such as Cannabis, Iboga, Magic Mushrooms, Peyote, and San Pedro cacti. The chapter likely discusses the Stoned Ape Theory, the idea of a “divine bouquet” of global plant sacraments, and the complexities of using these traditional substances “out of context” in the modern world, whilst also considering how humans have historically learned from nature (“Monkey see – monkey do”).
B: Breakthrough therapy. When society in crisis meets psychiatry in crisis. Chapter B addresses the contemporary mental health crisis and the re-emergence of psychedelics as potential “breakthrough therapies,” a designation with regulatory significance. It traces the journey of these substances from underground use back towards legal and medical consideration, highlighting the ongoing scientific research. However, it also cautions that this path is “not so fast,” acknowledging the significant hurdles of stigma, ethical considerations, and the development of robust expertise and standards that must be navigated.
C: Cognition and creativity. Trip to solution. Boosting problem-solving. This section examines the impact of psychedelics on cognitive functions, particularly creativity and problem-solving. It likely explores how these substances might “summon the muse,” potentially enhancing innovative thinking, as suggested by anecdotes from places like “Silicon Valley.” The chapter may also cover the phenomenon of “tongues un-tied,” referring to increased fluency or novel expression, and the specific practice of “microdosing” as a subtle means of fostering creative insight.
D: DMT. Businessman’s trip. The focus here is on Dimethyltryptamine (DMT), known for its rapid onset and intense, short-lived effects, earning it the moniker “businessman’s trip.” The chapter will likely explore the unique experiential qualities of DMT, such as encounters with “elf spice” or entities, and dives into the science, including its endogenous production in the human body (“By design”).
E: Effects. What does it feel like? This chapter aims to describe the subjective experience of being under the influence of psychedelics. It covers a wide range of perceptual shifts: physical sensations (“do senses make sense,” “a touching experience”), alterations in taste and smell (“spices bazaar”), the phenomenon of synaesthesia (“seeing music’s dance”), auditory effects, profound emotional intensification (“feeling it all”), distorted time perception (“when the time stood still”), and the potential for lasting psychological impacts (“trip mementos”).
F: Festivals. Psychedelics and music. This section explores the deep-rooted connection between psychedelics, music, and communal experiences, from ancient “drumming around the fire” to modern festivals. It likely examines how rhythm binds participants and the neuroscience behind music’s impact on the brain. Crucially, it will discuss the integral role of music in psychedelic-assisted therapy, serving as a “medicine” to guide and shape the therapeutic journey.
G: Go where? Tripping around the world. Legal status. Chapter G provides a global perspective on the legal status of psychedelics. It highlights “Portugal” as a champion of decriminalisation, discusses “cultural exemptions” for traditional use, and the varying approaches to “legal medical use” including developments from the “FDA to local efforts” in the US. It also touches upon “limbo-paradise” scenarios where legality is ambiguous and the ethical considerations of “hurting the reality we live in” through unsustainable sourcing or black markets.
H: Hallucinogen. What’s in the name? This chapter dives into the complex and often contentious nomenclature surrounding psychedelic substances. It explores terms like “plant medicine and sacred plants,” the historical term “psychotomimetics” (mimicking psychosis), the distinction between “hallucinogens or psychedelics,” the spiritually-oriented “entheogens,” the emotion-enhancing “empathogens and entactogens,” the perception-altering “dissociatives,” dream-inducing “oneirogens,” and the neuroplasticity-promoting “psychoplastogenes,” clarifying the implications of each label.
I: Ibogaine. Bwiti – dancing around the fire and into adulthood. The focus shifts to Ibogaine, exploring its traditional use in Bwiti initiation rites in Africa. The chapter will likely cover its complex pharmacology, the story of Howard Lotsof and its potential for addiction interruption, the challenges of “the West and the pharma” taking over its development, its current legal status, and significant safety considerations, particularly “cardiac effects.”
J: Journaling. Integration and practices supporting healing. This section underscores the critical importance of psychedelic integration – the process of making sense of and incorporating psychedelic experiences into one’s life. “Journaling” is presented as a key practice for “harnessing the afterglow,” facilitating “re-learning,” and achieving “clarity and peace” by documenting insights and fostering self-reflection to support lasting healing.
K: Ketamine. As the angel’s dust settles. Chapter K explores Ketamine, tracing its journey from an anaesthetic with a somewhat notorious reputation (“angel’s dust” association) to its current applications. It will discuss the “many faces of Special K,” including its recreational use and, more significantly, its emergence in psychiatry for treating conditions like depression (“It’s gone mental”), and the unique dissociative experience of “entering the K-hole.”
L: LSD. Mid-century to modern. What does the data say? This chapter is dedicated to Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD). It likely covers its discovery by Albert Hofmann, its crucial role in early neuroscience (“LSD, serotonin, and the birth of neuroscience”), its initial promise and use in psychiatry (“wonder child”), its subsequent association with the counterculture (“LSD and the counterculture,” “Tripping ‘Further'”), government interest (“Tripping with the Big Brother”), and its eventual prohibition, transforming it into a “problem child” in the eyes of authorities.
M: Microdosing. Small doses, big results? The practice of taking sub-perceptual doses of psychedelics is examined here. The chapter will discuss the history of microdosing (“under the radar”), the specifics of dosing (“is it small enough?”), what current “science has to say” about its efficacy, the significant role of “expectancy and the placebo effect,” and potential “potential cardiac risks” associated with long-term use.
N: Neuroplasticity. How psychedelics help us change. This section focuses on the capacity of psychedelics to promote “brain rewiring” or neuroplasticity – the brain’s ability to form new connections and adapt. It explores how this mechanism might underpin their therapeutic benefits. The chapter also considers the ethical implications, such as whether to “trip or not to trip” solely for this purpose, and the “garden of your brain” analogy, while also warning about “bad seeds – bad fruit” if this enhanced malleability is exploited for “indoctrination.”
O: Overdose. Can psychedelics kill you? Chapter O addresses crucial safety questions. It tackles the risk of overdose (generally low for classic psychedelics), their addiction potential (“why psychedelics can’t kill you or get you addicted?”), common “side effects,” whether they are “ok for everyone” (contraindications), and the possibility of “long-term negative effects” or challenging psychological shifts (“I’m not the same anymore”). The “Spiderman on government payroll” subtitle hints at historical government experiments or propaganda.
P: Psilocybin. The West finds the mushroom. This chapter centres on psilocybin, the psychoactive compound in “magic mushrooms.” It covers its history in “Indigenous cultures” (“God’s flesh”), its (re)discovery by the West, the nature of the “mushroom and its magic,” the subjective experience of “the trip of your life,” its safety profile (“Will I be ok?”), “promising research” into its therapeutic uses, and its role in “non-medical use” for personal growth and recreation.
Q: Questions we all have. This section moves into broader ethical and philosophical inquiries. It poses fundamental questions such as “Should adults be free in their choice of substances to use?” and examines the concept of “betterment of the well,” questioning if we “need to enhance everything.” It also critically assesses “the psychedelic promise,” asking “Are they good for everyone?” and exploring the nuances of their application.
R: Research. Here we come again. Renaissance of psychedelic research. Chapter R provides an overview of the trajectory of psychedelic research, from “how it all started” to the current “renaissance.” It discusses various “therapy formats of the past” (psycholytic vs. psychedelic), presents the “latest and greatest from the labs and the clinics,” and highlights specific applications like “MDMA-assisted therapy and PTSD,” ketamine’s journey from “surgical room to the dance floor” and back to clinics, and psilocybin as a “magic way out of the rut” for depression.
S: Set and setting. How the environment and the internal state impact therapy. This chapter elucidates the pivotal concepts of “set” (mindset, intention, preparation) and “setting” (the physical and social environment). It emphasises “preparation ahead,” considerations for the physical space (“indoors vs outdoors”), the role of “people as a part of the set and setting,” and how these factors can influence the experience, including the potential for “bad trips.”
T: Talk therapy. Guides for before, in, and after the trip. The indispensable role of therapeutic support in conjunction with psychedelic use is explored here. It considers the different roles of support figures (“facilitator? A shaman? Therapist? Guide?”). The chapter stresses “the inseparable duo of psychedelics and talk therapy,” compares “psychedelic vs psycholytic” approaches, discusses “the bottleneck of therapists’ training,” the ethics of therapists dosing themselves (“to dose or not to dose”), and the practicalities of “choosing a therapist,” while also acknowledging that “our ancestors didn’t have therapists.”
U: Universe and Unity. Ego death as a path to wellness. This section examines the profound experience often termed “ego death” or ego dissolution. It asks “Who are you?” before exploring how the temporary loss of ego can be “a pathway to a healthier life,” fostering a sense of unity with the universe. It also discusses “how does ego fit into your brain?” from a neurological perspective and warns against “cosmic hubris” or “spiritual elitism” that can sometimes arise from such intense experiences.
V: Vision and visions. A feast for your eyes. Chapter V describes the rich tapestry of visual experiences associated with psychedelics. It covers perceptions with eyes “open” (the world is breathing) and “closed” (geometry dances with the ethereal), “full-on hallucinations,” the phenomenon of “synesthesia” (e.g., seeing sounds), and attempts to explain the “brain mechanisms” behind these effects, poetically termed “tie dye day at the news agency” and “anarchy on the news floor.” It also touches on effects that go “beyond the trip.”
W: War on Drugs. Money doesn’t smell. Utopia of a drug-free world. This chapter offers a critical examination of the “War on Drugs.” It references historical prohibitions (like alcohol’s “13 dry years”), the racialised propaganda of “Reefer madness,” how “psychedelic revolutionaries” may have pushed “too far and at the wrong time,” and the unintended negative consequences (“the road to hell paved with good intentions”). It concludes by suggesting “drugs won the war on drugs” and explores “what the alternatives to prohibition could look like.”
X: XTC Ecstasy MDMA. Penicillin for the soul. The focus is on MDMA (Ecstasy), exploring “what is MDMA exactly, and how does it work?” including its characteristic “3 E’s” (empathy, euphoria, entactogenesis). It charts its journey from being “banned to legal” in research contexts (referencing MAPS), debunks myths like the “Swiss cheese brain,” discusses the post-use “Monday blues,” and the issue of “is there any MDMA in your ecstasy?” (purity concerns).
Y: You. Before and after psychedelics. From egoism to ecoism. This chapter contemplates the transformative potential of psychedelic experiences on an individual’s worldview and values (“before and after”). It discusses potential “societal effects of psychedelic-induced changes in life outlook,” the possibility of “moral recalibration,” how “old wounds don’t hurt no more” through “healing and growing through memory reconsolidation,” and the pitfalls of “spiritual bypassing, grandiosity and cults” when experiences are misinterpreted or misused.
Z: Zen to Zion. Psychedelics, religion and spirituality. The final letter explores the intersection of psychedelics with religious and spiritual practices. It discusses the idea of a “direct line with the divine,” the historical role of religious “middlemen,” the emergence of “neo-religions based on sacred plants” (raising questions like “a house of prayer or a den of robbers?”), and how psychedelics can lead to “spirituality boosted” experiences.
Publisher Summary
“Psychedelics A-Z is an illustrated, popular science, coffee-table book. A gift book. A book for the curious reader appreciating artistic presentation. Anyone who’d love to know what all the inescapable buzz on psychedelics is about but is too intimidated to get into ‘scientific’ literature. A book for those with an intimate knowledge of psychedelics and those clueless about it. Rich in information, while easy to digest and aesthetically appealing overview of the world of psychedelics.”