Author: Matt Gilligan / Source: did you know?
Psychology is a funny thing, and if there’s one ultimate truism, it’s this: our minds work in mysterious ways.
Take placebos, for example. Sometimes, if we think we’re taking a medicine to help with a certain ailment, but it’s nothing more than an empty pill, it might still work.
Cool, huh?Here are some interesting stories about placebos from AskReddit users that might make you re-evaluate the power of the mind.
1. That’ll work
“My daughter was suffering from insomnia and asked if I had anything that might help. I told her about Melatonin – and went to my CAR to get her one (huh?). I came back in and gave her a Tic-Tac.
She yelled at me the next day, because she fell asleep immediately after taking it and couldn’t wake up the next day – felt drowsy all day.
I laughed my a** off.”
2. Extremely strong
“Not just one story, but every time I give someone pain medication (I’m a paramedic) I tell them that it is extremely strong and will work SUPER well, so to just be aware. Even though I usually give smaller doses of the medication.
I’ve found that the people I say this to prior to giving the medication seem to think it’s works better.”
3. Little red pills
“I started getting headaches when I was 5 yrs. old. Family doctor told mom not to be silly, children don’t get headaches. After a few years, he finally said he would give me something for them. He pulled a big jar out of the cupboard and poured a bunch of little red pills into an envelope and said take one anytime my head started to hurt. I was an advanced reader, especial mysteries.
In the lobby, checking out, I asked my mom if they were sugar pills. They were. 40 years go by, I’m talking with my uncle. He says he sure wished he could find out what those little red pills were, that he got from the same doctor. They were the best medicine he had ever had for his arthritis. I never told him.”
4. Touched by an angel
“I spent a full year and a half with odd neurological sensations (buzzing, tingling, numbness, stabbing pain all over my body) . One particular pain was a pain in my finger that felt like I had a splinter in my finger when brushed or touched lightly. Dr’s/ neurologists were unsure of what was going on with me but they were certain it was nothing “serious”… they hinted that the pain in my finger could be something called allodynia. Not a fun time and very scary.
Well, I had an old childhood friend visit me and stay with me for a week. I caught him up on everything that had been going on with my health. We knew each other since elementary school. He was always the coolest guy in school. In the best bands. Best baseball player. Best skater. All the girls loved him. But he was also a super hypochondriac and anxiety got to him majorly in his 20’s. Any who.
He knew me really really well. Best friends all through our teens… telling him about my finger he says “Dude. My skin hurts too when I’m super stressed out. Right here (he rubs the hair on his head) You’re stressed. This is a stressful thing to go through… and your nerves are shot and hypersensitive. Mine comes and goes. You’ll be fine.” And he puts his hand on my shoulder. “Serious sully man. I promise. I know you. You’ll be fine.” And it was the thing…
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