PLACEBO’S ADDITIONAL POWER

TIME (2009) 11/2

CLOUD/ 59

During World War II, battle field nurses when supplies of pain killers would run out

substituted salt water. It worked. The word placebo means that the patient believing that you are giving them a pain killer will feel psychosomatic better. A NACEBO is the reverse of the placebo, you feel worse. The story should end there. However new evidence indicates that you not only believe you feel better, but that belief triggers a

reduction is stress hormones and thus the body really does get better.

In the journal PAIN, Nacebo make you feel worse and your body is physically harmed.

So, it appears there is a combination of sociology, psychology, and physical reduction or increase of stress hormones.

Nacebo even hurts the control group who believe by serendipitous measures that the

sugar pill will hurt.

So why is this important? If a harmless product accompanied with a strong belief reduces pain, can it be copied in some way to add to pain reduction stresses? Can you market a worthless pain killer? Perhaps it is not worthless, but worthwhile and certain vitamins can be added. It may also help those in drug rehab. They have a sugar pill to help them withdraw from the cravings of a drug(s.) Other uses may be helpful too.