Hungry for ecstasy : trauma, the brain, and the influence of the sixties / Sharon Klayman Farber.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

"Hungry for Ecstasy: Trauma, The Brain, and the Influence of the Sixties by Sharon Klayman Farber explores the hunger for ecstatic experience that can lead people down the road to self-destruction. In an attempt to help mental health professionals and concerned individuals understand and identify the phenomenon and ultimately intervene with patients, friends, and loved ones, Farber discusses the different paths taken on the road to ecstatic states. Hungry for Ecstasy explores not only the neuroscientific processes involved but also the influence of the sixties in driving people to seek these states. Finally, Farber draws from her own personal and professional experience to advise others how to intervene on behalf of the person whose behavior puts his or her life at risk"--Provided by publisher.

Ecstasy : the falling, the dying, and being born again -- Altered states of consciousness -- The brain and altered states of consciousness -- The sixties : something is happening here -- Marketing and producing ecstasy -- Cult-induced ecstasy and psychosis -- Ecstasies of pain and near-death experiences -- Religious ecstasies -- Killing, cannibalism, and other ecstasies from hell -- Creative ecstasies -- Intervening with those on the road to ecstasy -- Intersubjectivity and the power of the therapist's affective experience.