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Placebo: Difference between revisions
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(Created page with "'''Why did the placebo effect evolve? What biophysiological function does it serve?''' A key evolutionary selective aspect is the speed of response to stimuli. The quicker an...") |
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So the placebo effect does not have a biophysiological function it is an offshoot of psychosomatism brought about by the brain's need for predictive behaviour. | So the placebo effect does not have a biophysiological function it is an offshoot of psychosomatism brought about by the brain's need for predictive behaviour. | ||
=== Placebo in practice === | |||
Imagine you are a doctor with a placebo, you know it works only if the patient believes so ethically it's okay as ''a white lie?''. Then imagine the patient goes away and experiences the placebo effect but at the opportunity cost of receiving a non-placebo from somewhere else the doctor would be liable. | |||
Take for example depression, there is a massive proven effect that a placebo has on the condition, there lots of examples of this<ref>Beckham, E. E. (1989). '''''Improvement after evaluation in psychotherapy of depression''': '''Evidence of a placebo effect?''' Journal of Clinical Psychology, 45(6), 945–950.'' doi:10.1002/1097-4679(198911)45:6<945::aid-jclp2270450620>3.0.co;2-2 </ref>, so why you ask doesn't a doctor just prescribe placebo on the first visit of a depressed patient to see if it works? One word, suicide. Imagine the doctor gives a placebo and then even though it may be effective, it isn't effective enough and the patient tragically commits suicide. There would more than likely be an investigation, where the doctor's notes on the consultation will be reviewed. In a court of law the MAY find the doctor negligible as they didn't prescribe harm reduction i.e. something that reduces suicide rates (like ssris) opposed to only a placebo. | |||
So in the doctor's mind, to avoid such issues as above it is less risky for them to prescribe SSRIs as opposed to a placebo in the first instance.), so why you ask doesn't a doctor just prescribe a placebo on the first visit of a depressed pat), so why you ask doesn't a doctor just prescribe placebo on the first visit of a depressed patient to see if it works? One word, suicide. Imagine the doctor gives a placebo and then even though it may be effective, it isn't effective enough and the patient tragically commits suicide. There would more than likely be an investigation, where the doctor's notes on the consultation will be reviewed. In a court of law, the MAY find the doctor negligible as they didn't prescribe harm reduction i.e. something that reduces suicide rates (like SSRIs) as opposed to only a placebo. | |||