Addiction - Alcoholism, Substance Use & Abuse, Psychological Self-Help - General & Miscellaneous, Addiction - General & Miscellaneous

Intoxication

Name: Intoxication
Author: Ronald K. Siegel
ISBN: 9781594776366

by Ronald K. Siegel

Available on Bookshop Write a review

Books.org participates in affiliate programs including Bookshop.org and the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through links on this page, at no additional cost to you.

Overview

SOCIAL SCIENCE / DRUGS "Reading Intoxication one becomes conscious of the many different aspects of the drug problem, of the usefulness and dangers of psychoactive substances, and of their role and importance in medicine, in religious rituals, and in daily life. . . . Impressive . . . fascinating . . . "--(Albert Hofmann, Ph.D., author of _LSD: My Problem Child_ and coauthor of _Plants of the Gods_) "Compelling . . . fact-packed. . . . The author carefully surrounds any potential pro-drug interpretation with ample (and graphic) examples of the dangers of drug abuse. . . . thought-provoking."--(Booklist) History shows that people have always used intoxicants. In every age, in every part of the world, people have pursued intoxication with plants, alcohol, and other mind-altering substances. In fact, this behavior has so much force and persistence that it functions much like our drives for food, sleep, and sex. This "fourth drive," says psycho-pharmacologist Ronald K. Siegel, is a natural part of our biology, creating an irrepressible demand for intoxicating substances. In this book Siegel draws upon his twenty years of groundbreaking research to provide countless examples of the intoxication urge in humans, animals, and even insects. The detailed observations of his so-called psychonauts--study participants trained to explicitly describe their drug experiences--as well as numerous studies with animals have helped him to identify the behavior patterns induced by different intoxicants. Presenting his conclusions on the biological as well as cultural reasons for the pursuit of intoxication and showing that personality and guidance often define the outcome of a drug experience, Siegel offers a broad understanding of the intoxication phenomenon as well as recommendations for curbing the negative aspects of drug use in Western culture by designing safe intoxicants. RONALD K. SIEGEL, PH.D., is a psychopharmacologist on the faculty of the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at the UCLA School of Medicine and is a leading authority on the social and psychological effects of drug use. The author of _Fire in the Brain_ and _Whispers: The Voices of Paranoia_, his research has also appeared in _Psychology Today_, _Scientific American_, and _Omni_ as well as the _Journal of the American Medical Association_ and the _American Journal of Psychiatry_. He lives in Los Angeles.

Reviews

There are no reviews yet. Log in to write one.

Editorials

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

The pursuit of intoxication through drugs, according to UCLA psycho-pharmacologist Siegel, is the ``fourth drive,'' as deep-rooted as our instinctual cravings for food, water and sex. ``Although chapters on alcohol, opium, cocaine, cannabis, etc. pack a welter of details, this volume seems suspect in both its theorizing and its interpretation of experiments,'' noted PW. (Aug.)

Library Journal

Our pursuit of intoxication is inevitable, irrepressible, and universal, according to Siegel, a research psychopharmacologist from UCLA. He argues that the appetite for drugs, the ``fourth drive,'' is as much a part of human nature as the drive to satisfy hunger, thirst, and sex. His examination of drugs includes coffee, various hallucinogens, tobacco, alcohol, opium, marijuana, and cocaine. Siegel engagingly describes the animals and some human cultures that consume various plants and experience ``controlled'' intoxication. Modern users have unfortunately forgone natural feeding strategies that limit addiction and abuse. So fundamental is this pursuit that attempts to prohibit intoxicants have repeatedly failed. Siegel's answer (to make drugs safe) is well argued and persuasive. Recommended for wide purchase.-- Laurie Bartolini, Lincoln Lib., Springfield, Ill.

School Library Journal

YA-- In the midst of the wealth of books on the horrors of drug abuse, Siegel's effort provides contrast as it studies why humans, and many animals, seek intoxication in one form or another. The first part of the book discusses plant origins for many intoxications, and the effects on wild, domesticated, and caged animals, with some parallels drawn to human behavior. The second part discusses humanity's desire to expand its range of experience. Here Siegel provides a history of drug use and abuse which is most enlightening and includes alcohol and tobacco as abused and dangerous substances. He proceeds to a discussion of modern designer drugs and their effects, and the reasons for their existence and popularity, using examples throughout as well as reports of horror stories from crime annals. He stresses that crimes committed under the influence of drugs are NOT caused by the drug, and that the predisposition to violence exists within some individuals. His history of drugs as they have affected American politics up through the Reagan administration is most insightful, as are his comments on the futility of the anti-drug crusade as it is now waged. His conclusion states clearly that legalization of drugs is not a viable solution. This book challenges the thinking of high school students and puts the subject in a historical context which allows them to begin adult consideration of an age-old problem. The ideas here are not orthodox, but they are thought-provoking.-- Dorcas Hand, Episcopal High School, Bellaire, TX

Booknews

Siegal (UCLA) draws on extensive experience with psychopharmacology to clarify some of the issues of use, control and abuse. Extensive bibliography. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)