Posted by pegasus on February 3, 2010, at 12:46:49
There's a new cover story in the current Newsweek that essentially reports that research shows that 75% of the effectiveness of antidepressants (all of them) can be attributed to the placebo effect. They also argue that the remaining 25% could well be due to placebo effect, after people in the drug trials that are given the real drug start experiencing side effects, and so begin to more strongly believe that they will experience the real benefits of the drug.
Here's a link: http://www.newsweek.com/id/232781
What do you all think of this? It just doesn't seem right to me. I've been on Paxil for years, and it has changed my life. When I forget to take my pills, after a few days, I really feel a difference. It's that difference that often reminds me that I've been forgetting my pills. When I've tried to go off of it, my husband says he totally notices a difference in my ability to cope even after a couple of months. When I tried Prozac I felt nothing.
Could this all be placebo effect? And if so, what would you make of that? My immediate thought is that, whatever it is, I like it and I receive great benefit from it.
peg
poster:pegasus
thread:935850
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20100122/msgs/935850.html