MY ALTERED STATES
“An illuminating autobiographical exploration of pioneering psychedelic researcher Rick Strassman’s early life and firsthand experiences with altered states of consciousness. . . . This sensitive and self-revealing examination of how these powerful compounds affected Dr. Strassman’s personal evolution and his insights into the potential impact of psychedelics make a valuable contribution to our understanding of human consciousness and the potential for new and valuable psychiatric treatments.”
CHARLES S. GROB, M.D., PROFESSOR OF PSYCHIATRY
AT THE UCLA SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
“In his gripping, painfully honest memoir My Altered States, eminent psychedelic researcher Rick Strassman delves into the risks as well as spiritual potential of psychedelics. As capitalists seek to monetize these remarkable substances, Strassman’s book provides a much-needed counterpoint to the hype and hoopla.”
JOHN HORGAN, SCIENCE JOURNALIST AND
AUTHOR OF THE END OF SCIENCE
“Brave, honest, real, self-critical, deeply personal, and well-told, Rick Strassman’s account of his formative years casts compelling light on his subsequently pioneering career in psychedelic science. A necessary contribution.”
JEREMY NARBY, COAUTHOR OF THE PSYCHOTROPIC MIND
“Rick Strassman’s memoir is a gift defined by both raw honesty and a distinct literary beauty. He shows us how scientific exploration itself can be an altered state, guiding us deeper into practices like meditation, psychedelics, and psychoanalysis. Get ready for a wild ride, including a telepathic one on a flying carpet.”
JEFFREY J. KRIPAL, AUTHOR OF HOW TO THINK IMPOSSIBLY
“If you want to know what shaped the mind of one of the most important and influential psychedelic scientists of the last century, I can’t recommend this book highly enough.”
ANDREW R. GALLIMORE, PH.D., NEUROBIOLOGIST AND
AUTHOR OF REALITY SWITCH TECHNOLOGIES
“The doyen of DMT studies finally begins to share his personal experiences with psychedelics—as well as his personal history—in this wise, intimate, funny, at-times disturbing, always heartfelt memoir. It covers his life up to the time he joined a Zen Buddhist monastery while on leave from medical school in his early twenties. I highly recommend this book.”
TAO LIN, AUTHOR OF
TRIP: PSYCHEDELICS, ALIENATION, AND CHANGE
“ . . . Having the mind and the courage . . . you’re such an important part of the psychedelic history of this country because what you did is you legitimized a very important thing.”
JOE ROGAN, FROM A CONVERSATION WITH RICK STRASSMAN, M.D., REGARDING HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO PSYCHEDELIC RESEARCH
ON THE JOE ROGAN EXPERIENCE, EPISODE #1854
“This book is a magnificent treat, offering page-turning accounts that are as fascinating as they are engaging. . . . Beyond the usual altered states, Strassman explores unconventional and rarely recognized types of shifted consciousness with elegance and wisdom gained from years of reflection. . . . My Altered States is a mind-expanding treasure, illuminating the depths of human consciousness with a rare and captivating brilliance.”
DAVID JAY BROWN, COAUTHOR OF
THE ILLUSTRATED FIELD GUIDE TO DMT ENTITIES
“My Altered States successfully bridges psychopharmacology and psychotherapy in a coherent whole that will satisfy the initiated as well as the lay reader who, like Dr. Strassman, seek to tap into the deepest mysteries of the mind.”
TADEO FEIJÃO, M.D., PRESIDENT OF THE
UNIÃO DO VEGETAL (UDV) GENERAL DIRECTORATE
“Rick has taken on the daring task of writing about how various substances have affected his consciousness. He does so by immersing us into his own soul and circumstances in an honest, elegant, and engaging style that also triggers self-reflection. This book is a gem.”
LUIS EDUARDO LUNA, PH.D., COAUTHOR OF
INNER PATHS TO OUTER SPACE
