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By the late '90s, for example, the classic antianxiety drug diazepam (also known as Valium) was still beating placebo in France and Belgium. But when the drug w
by mynameishere 17y ago
By the late '90s, for example, the classic antianxiety drug diazepam (also known as Valium) was still beating placebo in France and Belgium. But when the drug was tested in the US, it was likely to fail.
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Really? Does this pass the smell test? I've never taken Valium [1], but I'm pretty sure its effects are strong and clear, to the point of creating serious addictions.
[1] On second thought, I probably have, as a pre-op, and yes the effects were obvious and unlikely to be replicated by a sugar pill.
- CalmQuiet 17y agoWhat does "it was likely to fail" mean. But it didn't. ...witness, yes, countless addicts. I've worked professionally (as biofeedback therapist) with scores of users of valium (and its cousins), and the withdrawal can be tricky/agonizing.
- phren0logy 17y agoValium tends to produce tolerance pretty quickly. As a one-time administration of a pre-op dose, you would notice the difference. Chronic use of a lower dose for anxiety symptoms separates from placebo at first, but not after 2-3 months.
- cwp 17y agoRemember that the article is about placebos having more effect now than in the past. So yes, Valium really does have effects. But if you did a double-blind study vs. a placebo today, it might not perform better than the placebo.