From Scientific American: The placebo effect works even if you are aware that you are taking sugar pills.
Patients who receive dummy pills often show clinical improvement. Placebos work, doctors believed, because the mind is a powerful thing. Just thinking you’re being treated can make you feel better. In this study, however, docs told patients they were getting placebos. Eighty patients with irritable bowel syndrome were instructed to take two sugar pills daily. The bottle even had “placebo” printed on it. After three weeks, 60 percent of the placebo group reported relief from symptoms, compared to 35 percent who’d received no treatment at all.Bottom Line: Yes, we are stupid. That's why intelligence is useless in the stock market. And that's why I would prefer not to be the human animal I am. I would like to be something else, but there is nothing else and I have to live within myself till the end.
7 comments:
American comedian Steve Martin figured this out many years ago:
" I've quit ALL drugs. Well... let me say one thing: I twisted my ankle this morning, and I was in quite a bit of pain... so I went to the doctor, and I asked him to give me some pain pills. And he didn't want to do it, but I talked him into it. So he gave me some pills -- and I shouldn't have done this, but I took some about an hour before the show tonight, and right now... I am high... as a KITE! [ audience cheers ] I mean, it is unbelievable! And I would NEVER say this to you people, but, in this case: if you EVER get a chance, to take these drugs... DO IT! They're called... [ he glances from side-to-side cautiously ] Placebos! I mean, I'm thinking that right now I have NO idea where I am at all! It is WILD! Placebo! "
Saturday Night Live comedy show, 1978,
K
A good one!
Maybe the patients in the study were also too dumb to understand what "placebo" means? Or maybe it is like some optical illusion where you know what the trick is, but the visual processing part of your brain insists on being tricked anyway.
K
Or maybe, since "irritable bowel syndrome" doesn't mean anything, sugar actually did help whatever was causing their discomfort.
Studies have shown that most studies are useless - Kathy Shaidle
Placebos work, doctors believed, because the mind is a powerful thing.
Is Quantum Mechanics involved?
My understanding of the text is that doctors believed but it was a wrong belief: he mind is NOT a powerful thing. Placebo works because the mind is a stupid thing.
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