Ty Wilson Law April 2019

How the Placebo Effect Works

The placebo effect works. Study after study has confirmed it. The question is how. Numerous studies have shown placebos are most effective for aches and pains, as well as seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and depression. The placebo effect even works if you’re aware you’re taking a placebo. With that in mind, a person can’t just start taking placebos (or sugar pills) and expect a placebo effect. There is a strong psychological component. This may mean seeing a doctor or participating in a drug study to get the ball rolling.

to emulate. You might start treatment with the real medication and eventually transition to the look-alike.

Then, you must expect it to work. There must be an indication that the placebo is “real.”This might be a doctor telling you it’s real and effective, or it might be previous experience taking a certain medication. In your mind, if the real drug worked, so will the look-alike. Lastly, you need to believe that when you take the placebo pill, it will do what you think it’s supposed to do. Belief is a powerful tool, and when you believe it’s going to help, the placebo will be most effective. In pain studies, for example, some people experienced the same reduction in pain as they would have experienced had they taken typical, over-the-counter pain medication. Keep in mind, however, that the placebo effect affects each person differently.

There are three challenges a person needs to overcome for a placebo to be most effective: conditioning , expectation , and belief .

First, you need to be conditioned to accept the placebo as the real deal. For example, the placebo has to look like the medication it is meant

Take a Break!

Opening Day Hamburgers

INGREDIENTS •

1 pound ground chuck, 80 percent lean 4 soft, white hamburger buns, split 4 1/4-inch thick tomato slices

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4 small leaves iceberg lettuce

4 1/4-inch thick yellow onion slices

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1 teaspoon vegetable oil Salt and pepper, to taste Condiments of your choice

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12–16 pickle rounds

DIRECTIONS 1. Lightly grease a small nonstick skillet with oil. Heat over medium-high. 2. While heating, gently shape meat into four patties 3 1/2 inches in diameter. Be careful to handle the meat as little as possible to prevent tough burgers. Season liberally with salt and pepper. 3. Sear patties on each side, about 1 minute per side. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking until desired doneness, about 1 more minute per side for medium-rare, 2 more per side for medium-well. 4. Let meat rest for a minimumof 3 minutes. 5. To assemble, place patty on bottombun and top with tomato, pickles, lettuce, and onion (in that order). Spread condiments on top half of bun and place on top of onion. Serve.

Recipe Inspired by foodnetwork.com

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