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Come as You Are by Emily Nagoski. It is sold as a book about human sexuality, with a somewhat click-baity subtitle, but turned out to be a beautifully compassionate invitation to self-acceptance and kindness in the context of sexuality, trauma, relationships.

It has some of the best-written (no-fluff, non-patronizing, direct-while-gentle-and-kind) description of trauma and dealing with trauma of all kinds.

One of the life-changing premises for me (paraphrased): 1 in 5 to 1 in 3 women have had trauma-inducing experiences, from sexual coercion to assault to rape. While only 5% of the population acts as (mostly male) perpetrators, there are all these other (also majority male) partners who live with the women carrying the trauma and dealing with it. Doing this without any kind of understanding or education is very difficult, and even a small amount of understanding goes a long way.

Not yet mentioned: Come As You Are (Emily Nagoski). Sexuality book written for women that should be read by all.

I believe you hit the nail on the spot :-) I especially like your point on anti depressants. We can also take alcohol (in whatever amount) into the equation. I know, its called "alcohol and drugs", but alcohol is simply a [regulated] drug. It doesn't fit the narrative of 'drugs are bad, mkay' though, but I believe that narrative is even on mainstream on the way out.

> How did Lou Reed or Kurt Cobain’s harder drug use affect their music?

As a kid I read the book "Come As You Are" about Kurt Cobain (who was kind of a music idol to me, long before I could understand English well enough to understand the texts). He had severe back troubles, supposedly stemming from his choice of going left-handed guitar player. He was both left and right-handed, supposedly (elsewhere, from what I understood, people who are both are actually left-handed but partly adapted to right-handed world).

As with Philip K. Dick, I can totally imagine a writer on amphetamines. I'm a former Ritalin (Methylphenidate) user (legal with subscription). Whenever that worked, I could finally focus. Uppers help you focus for a while.