This article stunned and saddened me, not for it’s assertion that people were relieved of their symptoms more rapidly when the only variable was that they received more “quality time” from their physician but the fact that so much of our time, money and quality of life is wasted because we do not have this same level of trust in ourselves. It left me wondering how much better off we would be if we knew that inherent in us was the capacity to provide an even greater level of healing when we turn our trust inward.
What do you make of these findings?
A surprisingly potent placebo: face time with me
DR. MICHAEL EVANS
From Tuesday's Globe and Mail
July 1, 2008 at 9:27 AM EDT
The word placebo has many connotations. Many think of it simply as a fake pill containing sugar.
Some see the term as derogatory since its effect could imply that a problem is not "real."
Some see it as proof of the incredible power of the mind.
But my question is not about the research value of placebos or how effective they are.
My question is: Am I a placebo?
A recent study in the British Medical Journal led by Ted Kaptchuk found patients who received better communication and more attention from their doctors saw a dramatic improvement in their medical condition than those who had a "colder" relationship and little face time with their physician.
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