Harvard researcher studying placebos

[Forest]

Hi, all...

In the TMS community, we are well aware of both placebos and nocebos and how they can affect us through the mindbody connection. Alan Gordon just forwarded me the following link about a Harvard researcher who is studying how Placebos work. I haven't had a chance to read it yet, but it looks terrific. It's good to see scientific research that will help us better understand these vitally important phenomena.
http://harvardmagazine.com/2013/01/the-placebo-phenomenon

 

[Peter Zafirides]

It is one of the best article I have read on this subject, Forest.

Many many thanks to Alan for sending this along to us!

-Dr. Z

 

[Pandamonium]

Wow, I love this guy, rather than pooh pooing the placebo effect, he hopes to harness its power.
The giving of a placebo and telling the patients that placebos often have therapeutic effects is a stroke of genius.

 

[JanAtheCPA]

Yes Yes Yes! Ever since I read "The Anatomy of Hope" by Jerome Groopman, I've been excited about this, because Dr. Groopman devoted a chapter to the placebo effect, and he wrote about Ted Kaptchuk. I realized at the time that I have been using placebos on myself for years - and after reading about these studies, I understand why they work. It's just a brain tool, similar to forms of meditation that use mantras. When I take a bunch of echinacea and vitamin C if I feel a cold coming on, I am simply engaging a physical construct to help me visualize my body fighting off the virus. It works, too.

This ties in with the book I'm reading right now: "When The Body Says No" by Dr. Gabor Mate, MD (2003). It's all about the power of the mind to create disease - or not.