The Placebo Effect is generally described as an inert, non effective stimuli/element introduced to a subject and surprisingly generates an effect based on the communicated objective.
Example. Flavored water is given to someone in the guise of "energy drink". The recipient later claims to have increased performance whether proven by measurements or not.
The placebo is a given and imputed factor in research and studies esp. for differing pharma products. Ergo, the placebo effect is already a given statistical factor that is to be used in comparison with the real product's result.
Example: Placebo group (100 subjects drinking flavored water as energy drink). They are measured and questioned after on how many have improved performance (in whatever physical or mental activity).
Actual group (100 subjects provided real energy drink).
The same procedure the placebo was put thru is replicated with this group.
After the study compares how many % of the placebo and % of the actual group improved just to see any correlations, connections etc.
What a lot of people fail to see is the most stunning realization and ramification of what placebos really are. What people should wonder is
- instead of just conceding it as a mystery, what are the mechanics and technicalities of how and why the placebo effect works the way it does. There is a reason for everything and even this has a reason of its own.
- Placebo is a consistent and observable phenomena in the research environment thereby proving its scientific existence.
- instead of using placebos as an excuse to denounce the effects of something, people should have a paradigm change and see that placebo's prove the effect of something (esp. after they discover #1 above).
- the mere identification of the placebo effect is in itself indirect proof of the mechanics of energy medicine.
As a medical blog for normal people, I will not get into the details and explanations of how it works but suffice to say, this will provide food for thought for real truth seekers. It is usually the better practice to let people work for the truth. Spoonfed truth is often dismissed.
The Placebo Effect is rated as one of the Top 10 Mysteries of all time, alongside ghosts, and a whole bunch of other things. In reality, 7 of those 10 mysteries are easily explained by any true practitioner of alternative medicine. Ghosts included.
I have to say it. (quickly)
On the superficial level, Placebos Prove The Mind Body Connection.
The irony of it all:
Skeptics disprove esoterics using esoteric as proof.