Good Chemistry by Julie Holland Summary
Overview of Good Chemistry
In "Good Chemistry," psychiatrist Julie Holland reveals how our disconnection epidemic fuels anxiety and depression. Endorsed by Omega Institute's Elizabeth Lesser, this guide explores how psychedelics, nature, and community can rewire our brains for connection. Could MDMA be tomorrow's breakthrough PTSD treatment?
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Key takeaways
When Loneliness Became as Deadly as Smoking
What if the greatest health crisis of our time isn't cancer or heart disease, but something far more insidious - the simple absence of human touch, eye contact, and genuine presence? We're living through an epidemic of disconnection that's killing us as surely as a pack-a-day habit. The numbers don't lie: social isolation now carries the same mortality risk as smoking fifteen cigarettes daily. Depression, addiction, and suicide rates climb year after year while we scroll through curated lives on glowing screens, mistaking digital pings for genuine connection. Yet here's the paradox - we're social primates, hardwired for togetherness, living in the most "connected" era in human history while feeling more alone than ever. Consider the rats in Rat Park. When researcher Bruce Alexander gave isolated rats access to morphine-laced water in the 1980s, they compulsively self-administered until overdose. But rats in enriched environments with companions, toys, and space to play? They barely touched the drugs. When Alexander published these findings in 1981, the psychiatric establishment ignored them. Decades later, as opioids ravaged communities, his insight became painfully clear: addiction isn't primarily about the substance - it's an adaptation to isolation. Opiates don't just numb pain; they mimic the brain chemistry of feeling cared for, temporarily filling the void where human connection should be. This explains why the "druggies" who welcomed an ostracized eighth-grader became a lifeline - not because of the drugs, but because they offered belonging when no one else would. That sense of acceptance, that feeling of being caught when falling, proves more powerful than any high. Isolation doesn't just fuel addiction; it directly causes suicide and sometimes violence turned outward. Mass shooters invariably share one characteristic: profound social disconnection. Our brains simply aren't designed to function alone. The solution isn't another app or medication. It's understanding the neurochemistry of human bonding and rediscovering what our ancestors knew instinctively: we need each other to survive.
Reuniting the Divided Self and Healing Trauma
The Neurochemistry of Love and Partnership
The Transformation of Parenthood and Family Bonds
The Tribe That Heals and Divides
The Medicine of Earth, Cosmos, and Our Animal Companions
Breathing in Rhythm with the World
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"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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