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tl;dr placebo effect is real, cognitive/behavioral/talk therapy works, and the distinction between physical/mental health is useless
by xkcd-sucks 8y ago
tl;dr placebo effect is real, cognitive/behavioral/talk therapy works, and the distinction between physical/mental health is useless
- tomhoward 8y agoI agree with you on the first and third point. The approach I've adopted is explicitly based on the notion that emotional changes lead to real, observable physiological changes, and the parallels with the "placebo effect" are openly acknowledged. A notable conventional medicine devotee has tried to dismiss the validity of this by claiming that the placebo effect does not actually lead to real, objective, observable physiological changes [1]. I'm not dismissing the points or linked studies in that article, but they don't address the ailments and healing approaches I've used. It's not controversial that: reduction in chronic stress -> improvement in immunity -> reduction in infection and inflammation -> improved long-term physiological and mental health. I don't really care if you call it "placebo medicine" or not, the concept easily understood. > cognitive/behavioral/talk therapy works Not in my experience, and in what I've observed in others. Maybe there are psychologists and psychiatrists around who are able to offer treatment that works at the subconscious level where it's most needed, but I haven't found one or known of anyone else who has. In some cases, talk therapy can lead to negative outcomes, as it can have a re-traumatising effect rather than a resolving/healing one. [1] https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/is-harnessing-the-power-of-placebo-worthwhile-to-treat-anything/ https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/is-harnessing-the-power-of-...