It's hard to truly explore and question reality when we close ourselves off from the curiosity necessary to determine the scientific effectiveness of things. Are your biases or misunderstandings getting in your way?
As a science-minded person, there are some common things I hear that drive me nuts:
“It’s just a placebo.”
“It’s all made up.”
“Placebo means it’s not real.”
What makes these statements worse is that those I hear talking about placebos the most are the same people who claim to also be science-minded. They position themselves as authority figures and make these and other cynical statements with the conviction of someone who is infallible.
But are they right? Once you strip away the typical tone, attitude, and ego of the people that these and similar words come from, could what they’re saying be accurate?
Pharmaceutical research typically use pills similar to the one depicted here for their placebos.
What’s in a Placebo Anyway?
When I hear people dismissing anything as a placebo, I’m often curious if they understand what the word even means. The most cynical uses of the word tend to come up in matters of religious, spiritual, and alternative healing practices. And they usually point to research that confirms the placebo effect is in place.
So what does “placebo” actually mean?
Merriam-Webster Placebo - "1b: an inert or innocuous substance used especially in controlled experiments testing the efficacy of another substance (such as a drug); 2: something tending to soothe"
APA Dictionary of Psychology Placebo - "1: a pharmacologically inert substance, such as a sugar pill, that is often administered as a control in testing new drugs; 2: any medical or psychological intervention or treatment that is believed to be “inert,” thus making it valuable as a control condition against which to compare the intervention or treatment of interest."
This is the definition of actual placebos. They are used for scientific research. Typically, placebos are chosen specifically because they have no actual effects whatsoever. They’re meant purely for gathering data necessary to determine whether the test substances or treatments are effective. That’s it. That’s a placebo.
Historically, placebos would be used to treat untreatable conditions. Sound unethical? The psychological community agrees. Knowingly giving someone a placebo in the hopes it will help soothe them while telling them it’s doing something it’s not is unethical. So doctors and psychologists no longer prescribe placebos outside of consensual research.
But when cynics are dismissing or “attacking” practices that are known or believed to have a placebo effect, are they right in assuming that those things are placebos in this same sense?
Why Placebo Effect Does Not Equal Placebo
What’s fascinating about the words “placebo” versus “placebo effect” is that they don’t mean the same thing at all. That something has triggered the placebo effect is considered scientifically notable, profound, important. (Pick an adjective.) Let’s go back to our dictionaries:
Merriam-Webster Placebo Effect - "improvement in the condition of a patient that occurs in response to treatment but cannot be considered due to the specific treatment used"
APA Dictionary of Psychology Placebo Effect - "a clinically significant response to a therapeutically inert substance or nonspecific treatment (placebo), deriving from the recipient’s expectations or beliefs regarding the intervention."
When the placebo effect is observed, we see that the placebo group reports actual improvement in the condition being treated, whereas the untreated group does not. That means the “placebo” is, at least, somewhat effective in the treatment of the condition. While it may not work for everyone, it works for at least some.
When researchers see the placebo effect taking place, there’s typically one of two possible explanations:
- The condition in question could be caused or worsened by belief. (Assuming the healing mechanism in place is essentially a matter of “mind over matter”. More research is required to confirm.)
- The chosen placebo for the trial might not be a placebo at all. (In which case, more study into the “placebo” is required to determine.)
In other words, just because something has been attributed to the placebo effect (proposed only or confirmed through research), doesn’t inherently mean that the practice in question is a placebo. Thus my annoyance with the “naysayers”. The cynic pointing out something as “just the placebo effect” but who hasn’t studied the relevant research doesn’t know what they’re talking about.
The Superpower of Humans: Belief
One of the most frustrating things for those of us who are truly science-minded (and not just cynics trying to hide behind the label), is the difficulty in acquiring necessary funding and support for the research to test anything religious, spiritual, or esoteric in nature. At least some of the things that today remain metaphysical (those things that we can’t yet test with modern science) could actually be tested, if only the ability to research them were granted.
The biggest hold up? Things that are suspected to be a matter of the placebo effect are left to the believers (since that would be the mechanism at play). It’s easier to lump those things into that suspected category than actually test them, freeing up more research funds and resources for things less likely to be placebo-only.
Personally, I support that approach. Mainly because there’s very expensive and highly worthwhile medical and other scientific research that we most definitely need our attention on at this time for the sake of humanity. If our funds and resources are limited, then put them where we’ll “get the most bang for our buck.”
However, that doesn’t change my annoyance with the quick dismissals of those things that are left untested. Those things that I witness the placebo effect (or more!) taking place every day and creating real, lasting improvement in people’s lives.
Just as our physical, mental, and emotional health are important, our spiritual health is vital to holistic well-being. It’s that “glue” holding it all together, interwoven throughout. Whether a person defines those things as “spiritual” or not. So it’s only natural that those things operating in the metaphysical, spiritual, and belief-dependent areas of our lives need a less cynical exploration.
For example, we used to think chiropractic care was just the placebo-effect in play. Until enough research went into it to confirm the clinical significance of the practice. Now, you’ll find chiropractors as valued members of hospital teams. (Including military and veterans hospitals, notoriously known for refusing anything that can’t be confirmed scientifically-sound for treatment.) We had to set aside cynicism to analyze the data supporting this practice as a worthwhile healing modality that supports patient care.
Does it matter if the healing properties of crystals are thought to all be placebos? If you truly believe that this or other alternative healing modalities work and you experience the relief you’re seeking from them, does it really matter?
What the placebo effect tells us is that the belief in something is powerful. It tells us that our physical, mental, and emotional health can be impacted purely on spiritual belief alone. It may not cure all things. Neither do many “scientifically-sound” medical procedures. (Looking at you, knee scopes.) But it’s significant in combination with other, tested and supported practices.
True belief requires a bit more than just trying everything. That approach just leads to overwhelm. Like all new things, "one step at a time."
Finding What You Believe In
Whether you’re a bit on the cynic side, just skeptical, or a true believer, it’s worth exploring what interests you and trying things out. Whether you do that within a religious framework, established spiritual path, or “just winging it”, your overall health and well-being is important enough to seek out your truth. Placebo or not, what works for you works.
Sometimes the real factor isn’t deciding whether something is “scientific enough,” but figuring out what’s meaningful, supportive, and sustainable for you. That kind of discernment can be hard to do alone.
If you’re curious about which practices actually support you, I’d love to help! Book an Embodied Tarot session with me today. We’ll tap the wisdom of the cards, dig into your own intuition, and build your next steps to get you tapping into your superpower.
In Light & Love, Evylyn
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