3 ms·

This is certainly possible. I've relaxed and loosened up on 0% beer as though it had alcohol when I knew that's what it was too. I strongly suggest with little

by harry8 6y ago

This is certainly possible. I've relaxed and loosened up on 0% beer as though it had alcohol when I knew that's what it was too. I strongly suggest with little evidence that if you took 10 people who had previously taken MDMA and gave them placebos at least 9 would know it if not all 10. A single digit percentage of the control who don't know they got a placebo probably renders it pretty useless. The BBC did a doco [1] on MDMA as a symptom mitigator for parkinson's disease with a stuntman who had it bad but liked to party at music festivals and saw it completely alleivated the symptoms. They did the two trials thing with him, take a pill (once mdma, another time placebo) and try to perform specific tasks in a gym and grade how well he could do it. The cameras got him saying something like this to the boffins in white coats: "I know this is the real thing because I can do it all easily and THE MUSIC ISN'T LOUD ENOUGH!!!" [1]https://www.bbc.co.uk/science/horizon/2000/ecstasyagony.shtml https://www.bbc.co.uk/science/horizon/2000/ecstasyagony.shtm...

stx 6y ago
I drink decaf coffee sometimes and still feel the same boost as drinking caffeinated even though I know is has much less caffeine. I guess its mostly in my head. Although decaf does have some caffeine.
- jonplackett 6y ago
  This is all about previous association - your body reacts to the thing because it has worked before. The same happens when you take a paracetamol, you always feel better as soon as you've taken it, but it's because previously it did really work. A similar thing happens with cursing - you can put up with more pain while shouting swear words than normal words, it is believed that is because you associate all those swear words with previously painful/traumatic times in your life and you're kind of drawing on those for extra strength. The brain is strange and marvellous.

by harry8 6y ago

stx 6y ago

I drink decaf coffee sometimes and still feel the same boost as drinking caffeinated even though I know is has much less caffeine. I guess its mostly in my head. Although decaf does have some caffeine.

jonplackett 6y ago
This is all about previous association - your body reacts to the thing because it has worked before. The same happens when you take a paracetamol, you always feel better as soon as you've taken it, but it's because previously it did really work. A similar thing happens with cursing - you can put up with more pain while shouting swear words than normal words, it is believed that is because you associate all those swear words with previously painful/traumatic times in your life and you're kind of drawing on those for extra strength. The brain is strange and marvellous.