4 ms·

This is a wild speculation on my part but it just popped to mind. Perhaps the reason faux drugs are more and more useful is because we're using them to treat a

by 51Cards 15y ago

This is a wild speculation on my part but it just popped to mind. Perhaps the reason faux drugs are more and more useful is because we're using them to treat a rising number of faux illnesses. Maybe some of the cases where placebos are working more and more are illnesses we have dreamt up in a feel good society. Restless leg syndrome for example. I know because I get this from time to time but I don't think its an illness to be medicated... Usually I've just not been active enough or eaten too much dietary sugar before bed. We seem to be finding a condition to explain every little discomfort so perhaps, while some of the conditions may be real for some people, the more vague the symptoms become, the higher the odds someone in the study groups only thinks they have it, and the higher the placebo effect. Imaginary drugs for vague imaginary conditions. Anyhow, just a loose theory that just popped into my head completely unsubstantiated by any research. My legs are itchy, going for a walk.

ceejayoz 15y ago
> Restless leg syndrome for example. I know because I get this from time to time but I don't think its an illness to be medicated... That's like saying because you have a mole that you know skin cancer is made up. My wife has, at times, been up from 10pm to 6am, sobbing because she's exhausted yet can't sit still for longer than a few seconds. It's sure as hell not a "little discomfort". It's not "my legs are itchy", it's "I cannot stop moving my legs at all without experiencing extreme discomfort".
- 51Cards 15y ago
  Agreed, which was why I included: "...while some of the conditions may be real for some people". I'm not disputing real conditions like your wife's, I'm saying some medical conditions these days have symptoms so loosely interpretable by the general public that anyone with achy legs may think they have it, and thus possibly try to medicate it. Perhaps this leads to a greater number of these people in study groups.... and perhaps that leads a measurable rise in placebo effectiveness. Anyhow, just an idle theory.

by 51Cards 15y ago

ceejayoz 15y ago

> Restless leg syndrome for example. I know because I get this from time to time but I don't think its an illness to be medicated... That's like saying because you have a mole that you know skin cancer is made up. My wife has, at times, been up from 10pm to 6am, sobbing because she's exhausted yet can't sit still for longer than a few seconds. It's sure as hell not a "little discomfort". It's not "my legs are itchy", it's "I cannot stop moving my legs at all without experiencing extreme discomfort".

51Cards 15y ago
Agreed, which was why I included: "...while some of the conditions may be real for some people". I'm not disputing real conditions like your wife's, I'm saying some medical conditions these days have symptoms so loosely interpretable by the general public that anyone with achy legs may think they have it, and thus possibly try to medicate it. Perhaps this leads to a greater number of these people in study groups.... and perhaps that leads a measurable rise in placebo effectiveness. Anyhow, just an idle theory.