Teresa wrote:

>We know that the human mind also influences recovery, so if people 
>expect a particular treatment or medication to cure them (perhaps 
>because the doctor speaks enthusiastically about the treatment), 
>they will do better. And I am quite sure there are other factors 
>involved that we don't yet understand.


The power of the placebo effect is well-studied, though not yet fully 
understood.

Here's a useful, quick and accessible little video on the placebo 
effect: http://www.nhs.uk/video/pages/placeboeffect.aspx

"four dummy sugar pills a day are better than two dummy sugar pills a 
day at curing gastric ulcers"

"green sugar pills are sedating...red sugar pills are stimulating"

"a dummy injection is better at relieving pain than a dummy pill"

The ethics of using placebo are also discussed.

>To me, this speaks to the need for more careful research. We can 
>devise good trials for these various treatments if we give it some 
>thought. While we sometimes assume that alternative treatments are, 
>at worst, harmless, that may not be true. They may get in the way of 
>the person finding more effecting treatment. And they cost money. 
>Medical care is complicated, and current approaches are far from 
>perfect. But I do feel strongly that well-planned research is our 
>best hope for learning more and being able to provide good care.


I agree. And the idea that we should not worry about not 
knowing/knowing how a treatment works, only that it appears to work 
(sometimes) when done with (some of) our clients, may be well-meaning 
but in the longer term, it is not helpful.


Heather Welford Neil
NCT bfc, tutor, UK
-- 

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