Power Of Placebo
The Trust Therapy
Those were the days of Second World War. Bombs are hurled.Buildings are falling down like pack of cards. Cries of agony, pain and torture are reverberating. Broken limbs, severed heads are heaping up. Medical teams and voluntary groups are rushing in all directions making vain attempts to help those injured in the best way.
In this scenario, a severely wounded soldier, who was on the verge of death was brought by the volunteers. The soldier was hit on his chest and the bullet deeply pierced in to his heart. Without delaying any further, the wounded soldier was taken to operation theater.
The nurse hesitantly whispered something in the ears of the Doctor, who was readying himself for conducting the surgery. The nurse said that the stock of anesthesia that is employed during surgeries was exhausted. The doctor was stunned. It is dangerous to undertake surgery without an anesthesia
But the surgeon recovered from the shock. The surgeon whispered something to the nurse and said loudly, "Dosage of anesthesia should be more, so that the patient should not feel any pain." The patient also heard what the doctor said.
The surgery was completed. The patient despite deep cuts and severe bleeding did not feel even an iota of pain. He felt as if the body subjected to cuts is not his.
But, it was not anesthesia that was administered. ordinary saline water.
The surgeon's name was Henry K.Beecher.
And the process that was involved is " Placebo effect."
What is Placebo effect ?
The word Placebo originated from Latin. It means, " I shall please."
The thought that you took the medicine, gives the same effect as you took the medicine.
Principles on which Placebo effect is based
An optimistic attitude that everything is going to be good.
Surgery is over, now I'll be cured.
Visualizing as if you are completely cured.
With this, your thoughts and beliefs will converted into physical realities and influence your body. Your entire body heals itself on its own.
This optimistic view should be firm and rigid, There should not be wavering.
Placebo effect as a Self Development Tool
Placebo is being used since the World War2, depending on the nature and mental condition of the of the patient. This is one angle. Another angle is instead of dependence on inert tablets and sham surgeries, Power of Placebo can be used effectively as a tool for Self Development.
The power of Placebo is inherent in the humans. "Why this immense power of Placebo should not be used in a more effective way ?" is the question posed by Psychologists and experts.
Here is why, Placebo effect can be used as a Personal Development Tool.
Dr. Joe dispenza, in his book, " You are the Placebo", says proudly, how he recovered through his Placebo power inherent in him.
Your beliefs and thoughts dictate your Brain and body. If necessary, your thoughts can rebuild the system. A new YOU will be built. Power of Placebo instead of restraining to big or small ailments, it should be used as an effective tool for Personality Development. Utilizing the knowledge of Neurosciences, Biology, Hypnosis and other sciences, now many experts are emerging out as " Placebo - Personality experts."
Dr. Joe dispenza says affirmatively whether Power of Placebo is used on a patient or a Success Seeker, the basic rules, Belief, optimism and visualization are same.
Body cannot distinguish between Truth and Illusion
Imagine this.
Inky darkness. You are walking alone. A woman with a hazy and unclear description, hair let loose over her shoulders is following you. Gripped by fear, you started running away from her. running... running... But you could not shed her. She is just behind you. Distance between you and the woman gradually diminishing. helpless and tired, you shriek at the top of your voice and fall on the ground.
You were dreaming. Your body believes what your brain dictates. This is the reason why your body reacts in the same way be it in dream or in real life.
During this period all the physical and chemical reactions in your body take place. Heart beat and pulse rate gallop. All the liquids and hormones that flow in such conditions will flow. Your mental balance will be destabilized. You lose your control on your emotions.
Mental Rehearsal. the panacea to have grip on emotions
As I said earlier, Visualization is one of the main components in Placebo effect.
We know that we are weak minded. Despite our best efforts, we fail to set the things right. We cannot take solid decisions. We cannot accept reforms which are tough. We become so weak minded that we cannot stand against individuals or institutions.
In such situations, Mental Rehearsal comes to your rescue. It rehearsal concentrates directly on your mind. Mental Rehearsal asks you to imagine yourself in a trance like situation in Meditation. This in turn boosts your Self confidence. and removes all your inferiority complexes. It is not all, Mental Rehearsal moulds you into a new entity. A new YOU emerges out of you. your mental rehearsal makes you see the future while you are in the present.
Two examples :
This is a conversation between an Auto driver and you.
Auto driver :You have to shell down thirty Rupee over the Meter.
Old YOU : OK. Here it is.
New YOU : Nothing doing. You want me to phone to Police Helpline ?
Another example :
Boss : You have to complete this job today itself.
Old YOU : Sure sir.
New YOU : Sir , the job is quite big. It's not possible to complete single handedly. Please ask the remaining colleagues also to stay away. If all the hands are joined, I can assure you, job will e completed in an hour.
That's how, Mental rehearsal brings a new You.
Mental Rehearsal annihilates, destroys and wipes off Phobias.
Phobias are meaningless irrational fears. Experts affirm that these phobias can be conquered once and for all my Mental Rehearsal. Owing to religious practicing of mental Rehearsal, one can overcome not only phobias but any adversity that comes in one's way with ease.. These adversities will not look difficult. With this one shoots ahead with courage and conviction.
This is akin to students preparing for competitive exams.
If your will is strong, all the elements in the Nature cooperate with you
These are the words of Ronda Byrne, the author of the famous book " Secret". She says, a strong willed person gets assistance from all the sources. And this assistance starts from within of the person.
Even the heftiest and strong with a enviable height and weight, will dance to the tunes of the Brain which doesn't even weigh one and half Kilos. The necessary adjustments on the basis of your thoughts and emotions will take place in a jiffy.. If your desire is to emerge as a Winner, your brain responds in tune with your desire to emerge as a winner.
Mental Rehearsal makes you ready for facing the exams of Life
We are familiar with the ways of a student who is going to appear for a competitive exam Same is the case with a person before going for a job interview or an Entrepreneur going to meet an investor so on and so forth.
Mental Rehearsal converts your thoughts into action. The idea in your thoughts are converted in to solid actions to handle the exams of your life in a result oriented way.
Optimism, the Mainstay of Placebo
The striking characteristic of any person who strives to keep his B.P under control, controlling the cholesterol levels, abstaining from alcoholism or Smoking is tons of Optimism. These are the revelations and findings of several researches. Now it is a confirmed fact that Optimists live seven years more than those who are not optimistic.
In a study twenty five Optimists and twenty five pessimists were selected for a test study.
" These are the tablets which damage your health badly. But you have to take them." said the team of Researchers and distributed some tablets to all the participants.
After some time, the pessimists became sick. The effect on Optimists was found to be nil.
In another study conducted on a group of Optimists and Pessimists, the Researchers gave a few tablets saying that these tablets will boost your immunity and the resistance to curb ailments.
After some time, the analysis found that the effect of the tablets on Pessimists was almost Nil. The inference is, "people with negative thoughts will be attracted more towards negative aspects and the people with positive thoughts will not be affected by even with strong negative aspects".
Optimism has the potentiality to judge Failures and successes
Here are a few examples to substantiate.
We have seen on many occasions cricketers playing in their Home ground displaying the best Cricket. And on the same ground, they even make the strongest team also eat the dust. This is nothing but Placebo effect. The thought that the fans around have placed immense trust on them, the accolades and honors bestowed after the victory dance before their eyes and do their best to measure up to the expectations of their home fans.
This is true for all cultures. In the Indian culture, the blessings from the parents or from the the well wishers will act like a Placebo effect.A blessing makes the people to rise up to the expectations of those who blessed. The person concerned do his best and gives his best to make the blessings showered on him true.Placebo makes him unearth all his inherent talents to make the blessings of his elders and Well wishers. In this process the immense strength, stamina and endurance required are supplied by the Placebo effect.
Selection of your thinking ways matters
We means our thoughts, our habits.
It is said , on average over sixty thousands of thoughts roam in the Brain of humans. And Ninety percent of these thoughts are the same as yesterday's thoughts.
Every day, we wake up at the same time, go to the bathroom at the same time. Take the bath in the same way at the same time.
Thus, there would not be any change in our daily chores. We do the same things, day in and day out like programmed Robot. It should not be forget that repeating the same action, will never yield a different result. As long as this condition remains, we will remain as frogs in the well. As parrots in a cage. And this remains as our identity.
Hence it is imperative that we should get away from this rut.
Getting out of the Rut - only way to create Miracles
A new idea thought and created will give a new energy. A new experience. New avenues are opened. As the new ideas are born, new doors will open in the Brain.. Functioning of the brain undergoes a metamorphosis. Learning a new language, developing ,creating and acting are some of the ways that rejuvenate and energize your Brain.
A group of scientists from Harvard university conducted a study. For the sake of this study a group of senior citizens were selected. Their average was 70 - 80 years. These senior citizens were taken to a summer resort.
The team of Researchers asked the senior citizens to imagine themselves as 40 - 50 year old. And you should think, act and behave like 40 - 50year old people. Erase the thought that all of you are octogenarians.
Music, Television programs generally seen and relished were kept handy. The dresses along with the color choices were also taken into consideration and kept handy. After the duration of the study was completed, the Research team conducted medical tests. The results turned out to be amazing and astonishing. The findings were enlisted below.
- There was a marked improvement in the sight of those octogenarians.
- Hearing was improved a lot.
- Their standing position became erect.
- In tune with their thoughts, their body chemical reactions too changed.
The participants believed the instructions and followed in letter and spirit. These findings established the fact that Placebo effect can do wonders, if followed religiously.
Placebo effect in Real life
It is not necessary to use the Placebo effect to rectify severe health problems or during unforeseen and unexpected crisis. Placebo can be used for solving smaller crises and embellish our lives.
When one starts his day, he can start with a thought that, day is going to become an important and significant Day. This day, given by the creator, I'm going to use in a productive way. I resolve every minute is going to be spent in a meaningful way. I will use this opportunity to develop my mental and physical conditions. Such thoughts will make you see everything with a positive attitude.
The students of Harvard and Yale Universities conducted an experiment on some employees of a hotel, using Placebo effect.
The hotel employees were divided into two groups. They explained one group, in a most effective way that every job they do will reduce the number of Calories and reduces their weight. The researching students also added that the employees will look lean and thin.
The second group was not explained anything. Both the groups worked hard equally. It was found that the members of the first group only could shed away a couple of Kilos.Experts say that it could be possible due to assigning an aim to the brain.
At times it so happens that owing to rain or some unavoidable reason, one may not be in a position to go for walking or doing Yoga that he was regularly doing. In such conditions, if one visualizes a scene as if he was doing Yoga or walking, Happy hormones are released that cause happiness and joy.. This is the opinion confirmed by experts.
Leadership means filling the feeling using Placebo effect in the people that "Future will be glorious". Those who are successful In this process will emerge as the winners in the elections.
The lives of Young entrepreneurs depends on Business Plan.If their Business Plans are combined with Placebo effect, the results will be beyond expectations. The readers of such Business Plans should be able rest confidence and should be able to see the future. Tomorrows results should be made visible through the process of Visualization.
In this way Placebo effect can be employed in every sphere of life for results beyond belief. Placebo effect in this respect is unchangeable.
What your Brain believes, Body also believes
A cowherd took his cow for grazing in the fields.After the cow finishes grazing, he used to tie the cow with a rope to a tree. Nd after his eating, the cowherd goes for a nap. It's only after his nap, the cowherd unties the cow.
One day, the rope fell somewhere. The cowherd was badly awaiting for his afternoon nap.Helpless cowherd has gone into a hermitage nearby and requested the Hermit for a rope, to tie his cow.
The Hermit laughed and said, " Son, I left all the worldly belongings and living in this lonely hermitage. I don't have a rope. But I can help you." Having said this the hermit whispered something in the ear of the cowherd. The cowherd liked the suggestion.
He imagined a rope.. and with that imagined rope, he acted as if he was really tying up the cow. Until evening, the cow did not move, thinking that it has been tied. The cowherd before leaving, acted as if he was releasing the cow. It was only then the cow started moving.
The above incident can be applied to the humans too. If a man believes that his mind is a rope, the rope ties him. If the mind believes that the rope is a snake, it makes him shiver.. If he thinks nothing is there, nothing happens.
Negative Placebo
In Positive Placebo, we mould our Body and mind using our strong beliefs and positive attitude. It happens in an opposite way in Negative placebo. Negative Placebo makes yo mentally weak
A young woman was diagnosed as she is in the initial stage of cancer. In fact, she is not affected by cancer at all. The medical report of some other patient wrongly reached to this young woman. Agitated by this, the young woman, after a prolonged illness breathed her last. She died with the belief that she had been afflicted by cancer until her death.
Negative Placebo will be seen in our daily lives in one form other. We see with suspicion in our office or work place for no reason that our colleague is robbing away our chances for the promotion. Further, we see that all other colleagues are scheming against us. A group of the staff are creating stories against us to the Boss. We also develop a hatred attitude against some other country or some other religion. And owing to this negative Placebo effect, there is a chance of becoming an extremist or a terrorist.
Some more about placebo effect
There is one Placebo effect known as ' Cinema Placebo. Many years ago, a young man was influenced by a Movie called Yogi Vemana, imagined himself as a Yogi and leaving all his worldly belongings became Yogi.
Akin to this, there is another Placebo effect related to Literature. After Reading a Book on Communism, there are instances when many joined extremist or Terrorist groups. All this instances exemplify the Placebo effect which is very much living in humans.
The cultural aspects also have a key role in the Placebo effect. For example, before starting a job, we take the blessings of the elder. This plants a firm belief in the hearts of the people. With this firm belief, we visualize that whatever we undertake will be successful. It;s nothing but a positive attitude. And this positive attitude in turn leads to Placebo effect in our minds.
The Placebo effect is directly proportional to your determination. If your determination id strong, Placebo effect will be both strong and effective depending on whether it is Positive or negative Placebo.
The news we read in News papers or view in the TV Channels, surveys too have Placebo effect.
A study group which was a fake and false purposely made to test the truth behind Placebo effect be it positive or negative effect.
The question given to the participating candidates was, " Girls, exhibited extraordinary skills in Maths than the Boys."
Accordingly a Maths test was conducted. The results have shown clearly, Boys failed in Maths. Thus proving that Placebo effect is true and that the power of Placebo is well within us.
Conclusion
Placebo is well within us. And it can be used to our advantage or disadvantage according to our own will power and positive or negative attitudes.
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