Obituary | The doors of perception

Ann Shulgin pioneered the use of psychedelics in therapy

The experimental drug researcher died on July 9th, aged 91

In this photo provided by the Shulgin Family Trust is Ann Shulgin at her home "The Farm," in Lafayette, Calif., in 1979. Shulgin, who together with her late husband, Alexander Shulgin, pioneered the use of psychedelic drugs in psychotherapy and co-wrote two books on the subject, died Saturday, July 9, 2022, at the age of 91. (Alexander Shulgin/Shulgin Family Trust via AP)

Aug 11th 2022

The first time she tried a hallucinogen, she was nearly sick. The taste of that witch’s brew—the thick, brown ooze that you get when you mash the peyote plant down—was so bad that she retched the moment it hit her tongue. My God, it was awful. For a long time all she could do was to sit on her bed and try not to vomit. Then the walls of her bedroom started to shimmer. Then time stilled. Then—if there even was a “then” anymore—the dust motes, floating in the air above her, started to sing. It was Ann Shulgin’s first taste of hallucinogens, but not her last, for in her long life she would have around 2,000 psychedelic experiences.

This article appeared in the Obituary section of the print edition under the headline “The doors of perception”