A compelling case study for the use of psychedelics to treat numerous issues.
Born into an impoverished family in Belize and then working hard to earn an impressive reputation in television journalism in the States, Kendis Gibson’s life is one of dramatic contrasts. From an overcrowded childhood home without running water to a NYC apartment with a view, being quietly marginalized to being publicly celebrated, enduring faceless death threats to relying upon lifesaving friends, or harboring resentment to cultivating gratitude, each anecdote and story in Five Trips contributes to the portrait of a Black man fighting to settle into himself with peace and joy. And he has a lot of battles to wage! Early memories include rolling out of a bedroom window, watching a long tapeworm being extracted from a relative’s windpipe, being raped by a teenage relative, being shunned for his sexuality, and sharing a kiss with a boy who then loses his life under suspicious circumstances. Those experiences grow into gnawing depression and PTSD that manifests in crippling ways. But Kendis Gibson persists. His realized dream career features jet-setting opportunities and widespread acclaim but demands an exhausting schedule, drives him to dangerous habits, and is rife with racism. His efforts to diversify the talent in broadcasting are met with immaturity, ignorance, and hatred. The author holds nothing back as he details his painful struggles, some personal and private, others humiliatingly public and professional. Eventually, a world of health is opened when he embarks on a journey that straddles scientific research with spirituality and mysticism: psychedelic healing.
Treating maladies and improving health with plants is a practice that dates back thousands of years. From mold-grown antibiotics to poppy-derived opiates, humans have long harnessed the power found in nature to treat various ailments. Despite their reputation for being addictive or dangerous and their medical designation as Schedule I substances, LSD, psilocybin, and MDMA are gaining attention for their therapeutic potential. After traditional therapies fail him, Gibson embarks on a “purpose-driven drug experience” to find a way out of his ingrained, negative, and damaging neural pathways. Each experience is calmly presented and shared in spectacular detail, allowing audiences to join him on his trips from the safety of their reading nooks. More real world than Michael Pollan’s research-forward How to Change Your Mind, this gripping memoir is a compelling case study for the use of psychedelics to treat numerous issues. But the ending of this story is yet unwritten. His final trip ends on a cleansing note but will leave audiences eager to learn the implications for Gibson, his career, and his health. Go behind the scenes at broadcasting gigs, diversity meetings, therapy sessions, and acid trips with Kendis Gibson in Five Trips.
