Is the term Placebo Effect just a scientific word for faith?

1. 77

   Oztinatoposted 10 years ago

   Is the term Placebo Effect just a scientific word for faith?
   
   Scientists often try to delegitimise and claim spiritual concepts by pretending they have discovered them. Homeopathy is just another form of inoculation. Likewise the power of faith is now being replaced with a supposed new "scientific discovery " the so called placebo effect.

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2. 41

   ChristinSposted 10 years ago

   A placebo effect is not the same as spiritual faith in healing.  When clinical trials are done and one patient is given a medication and another a "placebo" or sugar pill - those tests are used to gauge whether the medication works or not a greater percentage of the time than the placebo. 
   
   Most people taking the placebo in a study are not engaged in faith healing. They are taking what they think is a medication.
   
   I'm all for natural healing and remedies and I believe that spiritual practices can enhance health and well-being for those who engage in them, but you are confusing two totally different concepts. 
   
   Do some dismiss anything they don't understand as "placebo effect"... sure, but I don't think it means what they think it means.  A placebo is a legitimate way to conduct studies.

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   1. 77

      Oztinatoposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I advise you to take a closer look at the startling results of placebo research.

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3. 85

   M. T. Dremerposted 10 years ago

   A placebo is something that you think will work because someone else told you it would work. Therefore you perceive it has benefits. It's kind of like putting a band-aid on a bruise. Technically you didn't need it, but chances are it will make the bruise feel better. It's because our brain has associated band-aids with a sense of relief. The exact same thing is true with pills, which is why someone could take a sugar pill and say their headache feels better.
   
   I suppose you could equate faith and placebos, but if you're a believer, I'm not sure you would want to. Because, to draw that comparison would be to suggest that faith is a lie and any benefits it has are just in your head.

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   1. 77

      Oztinatoposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I advise you to keep up with placebo research as it shows miraculous results and is far more mysterious than you seem to realize

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