The Natural Mind, Essay Example

Abstract

Drug use is topical subject that is embedded in the minds of several policy makers, drug users, and people that are generally impacted by it. Drug use and drug abuse are serious problems that affect millions each year. Due to this importance and impact on the daily lives of many individuals, drug use is the subject and theme of many books, articles, and movies. For this book review, this paper will focus on the Andrew Weil’s The Natural Mind. Within his expository book, he provides a fresh perspective on a troubling problem that continues to grow and be misunderstood throughout the world. As the war on drug begins to recede, his book provides an internal view into how drug use and abuse influences the consciousness, and how it can be treated.

The Natural Mind

Drug use is prevalent subject in many books and movies. In looking at The Natural Mind by Andrew Weil, he wrote and expository book dedicated to exploring the world of drugs, the consciousness, and how drug use has divided society in several aspects. Throughout his book, he examines, why people take drugs, if there is something wrong with people taking drugs, discussing Marijuana, the effects, and the possible solutions to the drug problem. The problems of drug use, differs to some degree with those that abuse drugs. Many wonder with many states now legalizing the use of Marijuana, if the problems of drug abuse are waning, however, why his book was not written recently, his insight into the world of drugs could provide additional perspective. Within the first chapters of his book, Weil explores the issue directed with why many individuals decide to use drugs. While on the outside, many can feel that there is no reason in why drugs are inherently bad, Weil reckons that drug uses is a natural impulse. Weil sees the rampant use of drugs as a way to quell pain from work or trauma. Additionally, a point that he makes throughout his book is that using drugs provides an opportunity to expand psychologically.

Within the middle of his book, Weil begins the fourth chapter with the controversial argument that one of the less potentially less drugs on the street is marijuana. Marijuana is a drug that has the potential to impair cognitive function upon the initial usages. After regular use, the user begins to compensate, or become accustom to the drug effects. Alcohol and stronger narcotics do not provide the same level of compensation, and can be quite dangerous after multiple drug use. For responsible adults that are seeking alternative ways to experience “nirvana”, marijuana is seen as the safer drug to use. When not discussing the details of marijuana in his later chapters, Weil begins to distinguish between deep thinking and straight thinking. These cognitive modes is one of the direct results of continued drug use, as many users choose to interpret their high as a way in which they can find sanctuary from disappointment and pain. More so, those that follow the classic straight thinker believe drug use is a way to escape the world around them. For those that have a deeper meaning of self, and are more intuitive, they seek drugs to be one with the world around them. For those that understand how they are impacted by drugs, there can be responsible drug use, as opposed  to those who chooses to abuse it.

The problem with addiction, as Weil sees it is that those that are already in disarray or having problems cause their own drug addiction. In his argument, he believes that drug addiction is made from people, rather than the drugs. If people had, a better understanding of drug use then it could be not only used for profit, but also responsibly. For Weil, his belief in finding a solution for drug abuse, and drug addiction is to change the conscious of those that use the drugs, rather than eliminating drugs. Drug and substance abuse are major problems that Weil acknowledges, but he gives a deeper understanding to how people are the cause, and not the drugs. His overall book is writing so that the readers can understand the factors of drugs, and the way in which it can be used for spiritual growth, as opposed to pharmacological solace from misery and pain.

In going back to what has been reviewed in class, substance abuse is largely misunderstood by people that do not partake in drugs. Without understanding, the level of conscious or the reasons in which people choose to do drugs; abuse stems from bad moral decisions a misunderstanding. In contrast, looking at psychedelic or psychoactive drugs such as marijuana, and others, there are numerous factors that contribute to drug use. Weil provides many arguments that are highly criticize by experts. Weil does not see drug use as something new, although many Americans do. Instead, he believes, “The ubiquity of drug use is so striking that it must represent a basic human appetite.” (Weil, 1972) It is something that has been done throughout history, from alcohol, mushrooms, to different narcotics heavily used today. For Weil in the 70s, he believed that, “There is no evidence that a greater percentage of Americans are taking drugs, only that younger Americans are coming to prefer illegal drugs like marihuana and hallucinogens to alcohol.” (Weil, 1972). While this is still largely true, it is due mostly to the lax attitude from the younger generation about marijuana. No longer seen as such as dangerous drug, marijuana for some is seen as a safer alternative to even alcohol.

Even with all the literature from experts about drugs use and substance abuse, there is still much to be learn about the drug experience, and long-term affects. For Weil, in his personal and professional experience about drug use, he provides a different perspective that does not paint drugs as the enemy. Instead, he focuses on the many factors in which can impact the rampant use of drugs, that ultimately can become a problem. Take for instance in looking at a reason why people have an addiction. Set and setting plays an integral role in substance abuse. The environments and the mindset have fundamental influence on the psychological impact on an individual when using drugs. This can be seen for many instances around drugs such as marijuana. Emotions play a part in the set, as it determines how an individual’s feels when substances are involved, stresses, and changes. Emotions such as negative, angry, mad, or anxious can trigger a person to abuse substances. When a person is in a good environment it leads to a happier experience, as contrast to those that stay in negative environments in which invokes bad experiences. Overall, while this book is over four decades old, it still provides substantial information about drug use and the drug user’s experience. It is important for treating substance abuse as it can detail the symbiotic relationship that drug use has with emotions, and a person’s environment, which makes for better solutions to the drug problems.

References

Weil, Andrew. (1972). The Natural Mind: A New Way of Looking at Drugs and the Higher Consciousness. Houghton Mifflin Company.