Publisher Description
A fascinating, transformative look at the therapeutic powers of psychedelic drugs, particularly in the treatment of PTSD, and the past fifty years of scientific, political, and legal controversy they have ignited, by award-winning journalist Tom Shroder.
It’s no secret that psychedelic drugs have the ability to cast light on the miraculous reality hidden within our psyche. Following the discovery of LSD less than a hundred years ago, psychedelics began to play a crucial role in the quest to understand the link between mind and matter. Compounds such as LSD and MDMA have proved to be extraordinarily effective in treating disorders such as posttraumatic stress–yet the drugs remain illegal, out of reach of the millions of people who could benefit from them.
Tom Shroder’s Acid Test is a meticulously researched history of LSD and the controversy surrounding psychedelics, as well as a striking look at the unprecedented healing properties of drugs that have for decades been characterized as dangerous, illicit substances. Shroder covers the first heady years of experimentation in the 50s and 60s through the backlash of the 70s and 80s, when the drug subculture exploded and uncontrolled experimentation with street psychedelics led to a PR nightmare that would set therapeutic use back decades. Acid Test is a fascinating, transformative look at the therapeutic powers of psychedelic drugs, particularly in the treatment of PTSD, and the past fifty years of scientific, political, and legal controversy they have ignited.
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“Journalist
Shroder filters the psychedelic world. He explores the use and abuse of
these drugs. He examines the motivations and personalities of those who
investigate, advocate for, and consume these kinds of psychoactive
chemicals. Shroder presents a compelling case for supporting
responsible, rigorous research of psychedelic compounds…Empty your mind
of any preconceptions about psychedelic drugs and enjoy a fascinating
trip through the politics, science, history, and promise of these
controversial chemical compounds.”—
Booklist (starred review)
