Intoxication for Inspiration: Do drugs and alcohol unleash the muses? Episode 358

<p>As a former member of the “write drunk, edit sober” club, I thought it might be interesting to look at the research on alcohol, weed, stimulants and their effect on creativity so we can figure out what’s working for us, what’s not, and weigh the pros and cons of intoxication for inspiration.</p><p>I cite a few studies in this episode and, for the #AmReading segment, share a few of my favorite books on the topic of writing and intoxication. </p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2002/03/19/science/for-delphic-oracle-fumes-and-visions.html">A fun article about the Delphic Oracle in the </a><em>New York Times</em></p><p></p><p><strong>Research Cited:</strong> </p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/choke/201204/alcohol-benefits-the-creative-process">“Alcohol Benefits the Creative Process: being moderately intoxicated gets people to think ‘outside the box.’”</a></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Fapl0000599">“Cannabis Use Does Not Increase Actual Creativity but Biases Evaluations of Creativity”</a> Heng, Y. T., Barnes, C. M., & Yam, K. C. (2023). <em>Journal of Applied Psychology, 108</em>(4), 635–646. </p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.mdpi.com/2226-4787/6/3/58">"Neurocognitive, Autonomic, and Mood Effects of Adderall: A Pilot Study of Healthy College Students"</a> Weyandt, Lisa L., Tara L. White, Bergljot Gyda Gudmundsdottir, Adam Z. Nitenson, Emma S. Rathkey, Kelvin A. De Leon, and Stephanie A. Bjorn. 2018. <em>Pharmacy</em> 6, no. 3: 58. https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmacy6030058</p><p></p><p><strong>#AmReading: Books on intoxication, writing, and recovery mentioned in the episode</strong></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.olivialaing.com/the-trip-to-echo-spring">The Trip to Echo Spring: On Writers and Drinking by Olivia Laing</a></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.susancheever.com/works.htm">Home Before Dark: A Biographical Memoir of John Cheever. by His Daughter by Susan Cheever</a></p><p><a