superstions

Former Member

Originally posted by Kiezo
...'Cause placebos don't actually work.

they do. not for everything, but they do.

a lot of people's illnesses are psychosomatic. therefore if you give them something they believe will cure them, 9 times out of 10 it does.

it's also been shown that people with a positive attitude recover quicker from serious illness. so if they're getting a placebo that they believe will relieve their pain, or whatever, a lot of times they percieve the pain as less than it was without the placebo.

whatever works, imo.

Former Member

I have mostly a big superstition about finding like a penny on the ground or something that it has to be face up and not tails side up and also about the black cat bringing bad luck.

Former Member

Originally posted by kaffrin
they do. not for everything, but they do.

a lot of people's illnesses are psychosomatic. therefore if you give them something they believe will cure them, 9 times out of 10 it does.

it's also been shown that people with a positive attitude recover quicker from serious illness. so if they're getting a placebo that they believe will relieve their pain, or whatever, a lot of times they percieve the pain as less than it was without the placebo.

whatever works, imo.

even illnesses that are not psycosomatic but very physical and even microbial ...can be placeboed.
the placebo doesn't even have to be swallowed oraly ...it can be implanted psycologicaly. a placebo can me mentaly and or emotionaly implanted ...sometimes unknown to the planter.
sometimes proffesionaly.
it all boils down to our spirit as far as i'm concerned. if our spirit is up ....we can overcome most obstacles ...even obstacles of the microscopic living enemies that lurk.

Former Member

Originally posted by kaffrin

a lot of people's illnesses are psychosomatic. therefore if you give them something they believe will cure them, 9 times out of 10 it does.

Then technically, there was nothing to cure in the first place, ie, nothing for the placebo to work against.

it's also been shown that people with a positive attitude recover quicker from serious illness.

That's a common myth, but it's actually been disproved numerous times in recent years.

Same goes for praying that someone will get better.

Former Member

Originally posted by Kiezo



That's a common myth, but it's actually been disproved numerous times in recent years.

Same goes for praying that someone will get better.

i have to say both those statements are wrong.
prayer is a very powerful thing. in someone of strong faith and belief it can be quite awsome.
i might even go to the trouble of finding some scientific links if pushed.
prayer is a measurable thing electronicaly. prayer is such a healthy dynamic way for the brain to energise itself and recover from the slings and arrows ...it is other worldly thinking ...far more advanced thinking and feeling mechanisms come into play in the heart and mind than getting a gameboy for xmas ...

Former Member

Originally posted by Kiezo
That's a common myth, but it's actually been disproved numerous times in recent years.

Same goes for praying that someone will get better.

i think people underestimate the effect the mind can have on the body.


my grandad is very ill. and very old. and about a year ago he was given a week or so to live. in the spring we were told he wouldn't make it through the night. he's still here. and the doctors don't understand. physically his body is too weak to still be doing the stuff he does. but he keeps going.

he's said that he doesn't want to leave my grandma on her own. that he doesn't want to die. so is will alone keeping him alive?

cause medically he should have been dead a year.

Former Member

Originally posted by kaffrin
i think people underestimate the effect the mind can have on the body.


my grandad is very ill. and very old. and about a year ago he was given a week or so to live. in the spring we were told he wouldn't make it through the night. he's still here. and the doctors don't understand. physically his body is too weak to still be doing the stuff he does. but he keeps going.

he's said that he doesn't want to leave my grandma on her own. that he doesn't want to die. so is will alone keeping him alive?

cause medically he should have been dead a year.

sounds to me like he loves his wife totaly ...and all the feelings and strengths that can bring along. love hope determination in the face of ...will ...it's all to do with the spirit of a man.
your grandad is obviously a strong ...or maybe of strong ...spirit.

Former Member

Originally posted by morrocan roll

i might even go to the trouble of finding some scientific links if pushed.

And I could find some links proving the oposite. Tbh, we could do that all day and still be no further forward.

Though I've read quite a bit about it recently, and the last few studies conducted have disproved it - tests such as taking 100 patients with positive attitudes, 100 with negative ones, and their survival rate turned out to be roughly the same.

Originally posted by kaffrin

my grandad is very ill. and very old. and about a year ago he was given a week or so to live. in the spring we were told he wouldn't make it through the night. he's still here. and the doctors don't understand. physically his body is too weak to still be doing the stuff he does. but he keeps going.

he's said that he doesn't want to leave my grandma on her own. that he doesn't want to die. so is will alone keeping him alive?

cause medically he should have been dead a year.

Again, that's specious reasoning. Just because he has the will to live doesn't mean that's what's keeping him alive.

Doctors get that kinda thing wrong all the time.

Former Member

Originally posted by Kiezo
Yeah but my point is they don't actually *work*, people just trick themselves into believing they do.

It's not a trick per se, since it's all about belief or the assumption that it works, and I've already said they don't work in the proper sense of the word, but they work on a psychological basis. If placebos can 'treat' someone, how can you say that they don't work?

placebos
more placebos

Here some contrary stuff,
contrary stuff

but I reckon that placebo effect can't be just assumed to 'not work' when there's evidence for both sides. It's like saying a football team is better than it's closest competitor, even if they win/lose the same amount of games.

Former Member

rah rah rah, i don't want to believe in anything vaguely positive. rah rah fuckin rah.

fuck off