In this self-published book, Poison I.V., one of the many aliases of the online mini-celebrity, records her long and winding trip from her first time to near-death experiences and back to sobriety. While many people have disapproved of her attitude in the past, this collection of experiences is well worth the read, and the message is positive. The book includes a collection of various old essays but is mostly a detailing of the events leading up to and including a near-death experience after dosing what she had been told was LSD but was something much stronger (i.e. DOB). Her experiences cover the whole spectrum of the trip report genre, including reports set to music and poetry. The collection also spans a wide variety of substances including many psychedelics. The book chronicles the author’s love affair with methamphetamine, and the detriments to her health she suffered because of it (hospital visits, etc.).

Psychoses is divided into “eras”; Era 1- The Peak, Era 2 – Ego Loss, Era 3 – The Crash, Era 4 – The Rebirth of Spring and simply “New Era”. Most of the book is written in the narrative style, with a clear chronological order to the chapters. Throughout the book the author maintains a witty stance with respect to the events she recounts but doesn’t let exaggeration cloud the imagery of her storytelling. It is written in a definitive amateur trip report style, similar to Daniel Pinchbeck’s Breaking Open the Head. The most endearing aspect is the accessibility of the characters to the average reader and the down-to-earth tone of the book. The main theme is rebirth.

In conclusion, the experiences collected in Psychoses are well worth the small price of the self-published book. The only obstacle to literary pleasure, in this reviewer’s opinion, is the author’s propensity to bluntness and profanity. Although there is not much swearing in the book per se, some of the author’s ideas are somewhat crude at times. It is especially recommended for any amateurs of the experience report style found at Erowid.

Available at: http://www.lulu.com/content/1671920

Note: The first edition of this book is titled Psychosis