In this engaging discussion, Susannah Cahalan, an acclaimed journalist and author of works like Brain on Fire, shares her personal journey through severe autoimmune encephalitis. She highlights the chaos of psychosis and the resilience necessary for recovery. Susannah also delves into the lives of Timothy and Rosemary Leary, offering insights into their impact on the psychedelic movement. Throughout, she weaves connections between mental health, creativity, and the exploration of altered states, all while reflecting on the significance of personal experiences in shaping reality.
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Susannah's Brain on Fire Story
Susannah Cahalan experienced sudden psychosis, seizures, and was hospitalized for a month with misdiagnoses before being correctly diagnosed with anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis.
She lost many cognitive functions, including memory, walking, reading, and writing during this illness.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Out-of-Body Seizure Experience
During her first seizure, Susannah Cahalan experienced an out-of-body experience, watching herself being put into an ambulance.
She recalls this vividly and cannot explain this sensation scientifically.
insights INSIGHT
Brain Changes and the Self
Susannah Cahalan questions what constitutes the self when brain receptors linked to memory and behavior are disrupted.
Changes in the brain can shift personality, challenging the boundary between old and new identity.
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The Undercover Mission That Changed Our Understanding of Madness
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In *The Great Pretender*, Susannah Cahalan delves into the famous study by David Rosenhan, where eight sane individuals went undercover in psychiatric hospitals to test the legitimacy of psychiatric diagnoses. Cahalan's research reveals discrepancies in Rosenhan's work, challenging the narrative of his influential study and its lasting effects on psychiatry. The book is a gripping exploration of the history of psychiatry and the pursuit of scientific truth.
Brain on Fire
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In 'Brain on Fire: Unleashing Your Creative Superpowers', JoAnn R. Corley delves into the concept of creativity, aiming to inspire readers to tap into their full creative potential. The book encourages reflection on what creativity means personally and who embodies creative leadership. It is designed to help individuals unlock their creative superpowers.
The Acid Queen
The Acid Queen
Susannah Cahalan
In this episode, I sit down with Susannah Cahalan—American journalist and bestselling author of Brain on Fire, The Great Pretender, and most recently, The Acid Queen. We discuss her harrowing experience with anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis, a rare brain inflammation that led to seizures, vivid hallucinations and hospitalization during a month long psychotic episode. This ordeal that ultimately sparked her deep interest in psychology and neuroscience. Susannah also shares insights from her latest work, offering a compelling look into the life of Rosemary Woodruff Leary, a central figure in the 1960s psychedelic movement and the wife of Timothy Leary from 1967 to 1976.
Otherworld 
