reply
- Feature
- Like
"All beings have the power to heal themselves" - Prot, from K-Pax. I think that's true, to a degree.
reply
there are some real studies that show that placebos work better and better, over long time periods.
- Feature
- Like
there are some real studies that show that placebos work better and better, over long time periods.
http://www.wired.com/medtech/drugs/magazine/17-09/ff_placebo_effect?currentPage=all
prayer in itself does nothing. only if you believe in praying, might it do some good. after all, it is a mere placebo.
reply
I think it's interesting that there are negative placebo effects - as in when you tell people that they could get the following side-effects, they tend to even when given a placebo.
- Feature
- Like
I think it's interesting that there are negative placebo effects - as in when you tell people that they could get the following side-effects, they tend to even when given a placebo.
I don't think the mind can cure cancer, but if we can manifest symptoms just by believing we will get them, would it then follow that focusing that those thoughts might have an effect? I don't know. Perhaps the placebo effect works because we don't know (in our subconscious) - taking an active, conscious role would probably be a different part of the brain? I really don't know, but it's a great question.
Those studies about prayer are interesting, but I have a hard time with stuff like that. There are so many factors that come into play when talking about illness - every individual is so different. I read the article dancingplatypus posted, and this was my favorite quote:
"They have absolutely no idea how much prayer individuals in any of the groups received,"
Sloan said. "If we can't know that, we can't draw any conclusions whatsoever about the
intervention."
That's right - it's because some people were praying harder than others and that's why the results don't say what you want them to say. Clearly. Every time I talk to my father-in-law he tells me he has been praying for me to get a job - it's been 7 months. Maybe I should tell him to stop?
reply
- Feature
- Like
