The Little Black Pill

Lamenting over the pace of life and therefore the lack of sleep with a friend brought the Digipill to my attention. He discussed it with so much passion, willingly became the butt of so many jokes, that I decided to see what he was going on about. He raved about the ‘Sleep Deeply pill – available for a night of rest.’ As described on the iTunes App store, ‘This soothing hypnotic lullaby will rid your mind of tension so that you can give yourself permission to drift into the welcoming arms of sleep.’

So, these ‘pills’ are accessed via the Digipill App (available for free on the iTunes Store); you get one complimentary ‘pill’ to try after which you need to buy any subsequent ‘pills’ to stock up your ‘cabinet’. The Digipill is a specifically crafted audio, which runs for 15 minutes to half an hour. As described by the makers, ‘psychoacoustics allow you to unlock your subconscious and change your perception.’ You choose the pill that you’d like most, preferably use headphones for more focused sound, and sit back and let the ‘pill’ take over your mind.

‘Each Digipill has been uniquely formulated using specific blends of sound and language to gently engage and activate more of the mind. This makes it easier to bring about change, build new habits, and promote an overall sense of wellbeing,’ says Brian Colbert, the psychoacoustic director of Digipill (Digipill.com).

The ‘pill’ is targeted to real-life issues like weight loss (Slim to Thin, prescribed for motivation), becoming more attractive to the opposite sex (Babe Magnet or Man Magnet, prescribed for irresistibility and passion respectively), quitting smoking, and the fear of flying. The ‘pills’ can be prescribed for confidence, self-discipline, achievement, perseverance, and even for closure/ moving on! The technique can be used for something as simple as a ‘T-break’ for relaxation, ‘Sanctuary’ for a clear mind, ‘Imagine’ for creativity, or to approach natural highs not unlike that of some physical pills, with ‘Trance Tripping’ prescribed for ‘exploration’. I must admit I was sorely tempted to try that one.

While it’s obvious that the soothing voices have a long-lasting effect on the listener, it’s mildly hypnotic nature triggers a happy result. While it’s not likely that a listener can feel sexier or more passionate or more confident after a session with these ‘pills’, it’s true that they do induce a good night’s rest and tend to leave you happier and more relaxed. There have been vastly differing reactions online to the audio – from finding it ‘creepy’ and the voice sounding like that of the Dark Lord to ‘loving the brogue and it being like Irish slam poetry for relaxation.’

There is a cautionary warning that one cannot drive or operate machinery after using these ‘pills’, but the makers are quick to reassure us that by not using binaural beats and using ‘unique techniques’ these ‘pills’ don’t fall in the category of ‘digital drugs.’ The fact that these ‘pills’ exist is definitely a comment on our state of mind; but what is one more app to sort out the problems started by apps in the first place?