I love placebos. They’re my most favorite drug in the world. Part of my love, no doubt, comes from an episode of M*A*S*H , which Wikipedia notes is episode 24 of the 6th season, “Major Topper.” In this episode, a shortage of morphine leads the fine doctors of 4077 to count on the placebo effect to help the wounded.

When I worked at a psych hospital, there were a few vocal critics of homeopathic therapies. (By homeopathic, I’m specifically referring to those remedies with NDC codes including the range of Boiron pellets to Bach Flower Remedies.) This isn’t surprising on a few levels – first of all being that the medical establishment has it in their own best interests to poo-poo homeopathy, second being that homeopathic remedies have a heck of a lot of pseudo-science (and magical thinking) backing their efficacy. I wouldn’t dare say that homeopathic remedies have the same power and efficacy as modern pharmaceuticals, but one thing that they do have is the worst case scenario that is better than Big Pharm – at it’s worst, it just won’t work at all.

Not a bad side-effect, huh? Homeopathic remedies can often be used in conjunction with pharmaceuticals, can be combined together, and at best will work, and at worst, will have no effect, with no side-effects or interactions. The actual efficacy of homeopathic remedies is debatable, and may be attributed ONLY to the placebo effect. The third major argument is that it’s a waste of money to take a placebo. Maybe, the transaction of money, plus ingestion of the little sugar pills, is what makes you stave off that cold and flu or lower your anxiety.

Since I worked at Whole Foods, specifically with these remedies at my fingertips, I have tried a few of them and have found some work better for me than others. There’s actually a difference between how some remedies, for the same problem, work for me. For instance, Hyland’s – Calms Forte did not help me at all with getting to sleep, but their other formulation, Insomnia works so well that I sometimes wonder if there’s a secret narcotic ingredient. It could be that my own expectations of efficacy has influenced my body’s response to the placebo. I did read an article, which I can’t find right now, that showed that the expectations of a medication/placebo can influence the reaction a person has, including doing the opposite of what the person may expect.

The past six months have been allopathic-medication heavy. I appreciate the need for modern medicine, and definitely appreciate the need to use it when appropriate. When I was discharged from the ER with a 15 page document telling me the full dangers of my new medication regimen, I both understood the need to take the medication as prescribed, and longed for the simplicity of my ‘bos. During those first few months, I took full advantage of my Bach Flower Remedies, which are, by far, some of the most ridiculous homeopathic remedies around. The way I understand, these concoctions, in brandy, are pretty much just the dew off of specific flowers carrying a vibrational energy that is conducive to emotional health.

I’m fond of them, nevertheless.

Specifically:
Bach Essence Star of Bethlehem
Bach Essence Aspen
Rescue Remedy Sleep

I don’t go for that woo-woo stuff, mostly cos my belief in the supernatural is that it’s all in the mind. However, I’ll take the vibrational properties of flower essences over getting hooked on Xanax any day. (Disclaimer: there is a medical purpose for Xanax, but doctors need to be very careful in doling it out, and need a defined exit strategy. That’s another post for another time, though.)