What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedHow to Change Your Mind
Michael Pollan · Series · 2022
If you loved How to Change Your Mind, start with How to Change Your Mind (Michael Pollan) — a book from the same story. Below: 3 books, 4 films and 2 podcasts, each matched to How to Change Your Mind across media.
You were drawn to How to Change Your Mind because you enjoy exploring how substances and perception fundamentally reshape our internal reality.
Start with the source
Books on the same thread
This Is Your Mind on Plants
Michael Pollan · Book · 2021
Explores: Human-nature connection, Altered states of consciousness, Botanical history.
If you appreciated the deep investigative rigor of How to Change Your Mind, this book continues the exploration of human connections to psychoactive plants and altered states of consciousness.
The Botany of Desire
Michael Pollan · Book · 2002
Explores: Human-Plant Relationships, Evolution, Desire.
Much like How to Change Your Mind, this work examines the hidden influence of the natural world on human desire, further deepening your understanding of our complex biological relationships.
A World Appears
Michael Pollan · Book · 2026
Explores: artificial intelligence impact, societal evolution, technological ethics.
Following the cultural trajectory established in How to Change Your Mind, this narrative applies the same keen analytical lens to the ethics and societal impacts of emerging technological shifts.
Films on the same thread
The Truman Show
Peter Weir · Film · 1998
Explores: Existentialism, Reality vs. Illusion, Loss of Innocence.
Where How to Change Your Mind investigates the nature of consciousness, this film challenges your perception of reality by dramatizing the thin line between an authentic life and illusion.
A Beautiful Mind
Ron Howard · Film · 2001
Shares a thread with How to Change Your Mind: Self-Discovery.
This biographical drama mirrors the psychological depth found in How to Change Your Mind, focusing on the fragile intersection between immense intellectual genius and the struggles of mental illness.
Limitless
Neil Burger · Film · 2011
Explores: Cognitive Enhancement, Moral Ambiguity, The Price of Power.
This film explores the dangerous allure of cognitive enhancement, echoing the themes of chemical mind-alteration that are central to the investigative journey of How to Change Your Mind.
Shutter Island
Film · 2010
Explores: Mental instability, Grief and trauma, Paranoia.
Fans of the psychological inquiry in How to Change Your Mind will appreciate this film's descent into the instability of the human mind, trauma, and the haunting nature of perception.
Podcasts on the same thread
Hidden Brain
Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam · Podcast · 2026
Explores: cognitive bias, human behavior, interpersonal dynamics.
Just as How to Change Your Mind seeks to demystify complex mental processes, this podcast provides an accessible, insightful look into the behavioral psychology that dictates our daily human interactions.
Revisionist History
Pushkin Industries · Podcast · 2026
Explores: historical revisionism, cognitive bias, unconventional perspectives.
This podcast shares the investigative spirit of How to Change Your Mind by challenging conventional wisdom and re-examining the overlooked historical narratives that shaped our current cognitive biases.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is How to Change Your Mind based on a book?
Yes, the 2022 docuseries How to Change Your Mind is an adaptation of the book of the same name written by Michael Pollan. The series follows the same exploration of the history and therapeutic uses of various psychedelic substances as detailed in the original source material.
What substances does Michael Pollan explore in How to Change Your Mind?
In the docuseries How to Change Your Mind, Michael Pollan investigates the history and medical applications of four specific psychedelics. These substances include LSD, psilocybin, MDMA, and mescaline. The series provides an in-depth look at how these compounds have been used throughout history and their potential modern therapeutic benefits.
Should I read the book before watching How to Change Your Mind?
You do not need to read the book before watching the docuseries. Both the book and the series titled How to Change Your Mind cover the same subject matter regarding the history and uses of psychedelics. You can consume either version to understand the research presented by Michael Pollan.
Is How to Change Your Mind a documentary series?
Yes, How to Change Your Mind is a 2022 docuseries. It features author Michael Pollan as he leads viewers through an exploration of various psychedelic substances, including their historical context and modern applications in medicine and therapy, based on his written work.