The Placebo Effect

Ron Macklin and Deb Dendy

The Placebo Effect

Ep. 59: The Placebo Effect

Ron begins by asking Deb for her interpretation of what the placebo effect is.

  • Deb describes her understanding of the placebo, involving doctors and medicines, and the stories that people have that change after receiving the placebo medication.
  • Ron then explains the true medical tests that involve placebos, and the role they play, noting that sometimes the placebo drugs have the same effect on people.
  • Ron notes that placebos having effects on people shows him the power that our stories can have on both our bodies and minds.

Deb works through her new understanding of placebos, asking whether we really have the power to heal ourselves through stories.

  • Ron describes stories of placebos people already use in their everyday lives.
  • Deb follows this up by asking how she might be able to incorporate the power of these stories to help her feel better.
  • Ron says that there are some things going on with our bodies that are psychological, rather than physical.
  • Deb and Ron discuss the power that stories can have on the effectiveness of drugs.

Ron asks what are the real stories she is following, and the true story within herself, rather than the story that she is trying to tell herself.

  • He continues down this thought process and asks whether we can really trust ourselves and the stories that we tell ourselves.
  • Deb asks whether we can dupe ourselves into believing something works when it doesn’t.
  • She relates this back to a Macklin Method of creating yourself, and the authenticity attached to those stories.

After Ron adds his comments, Deb explains how plus-self people can be sceptics on whether others are really trying to help, and close themselves off from accepting those stories.

  • Ron explains his experience with plus-self people, and how over time he realized they were often even more scared than he was.
  • Deb draws the line between fear and skepticism, and the ability to accept help from others and yourself.
  • Ron and Deb continue discussing the harm this can be doing to you and your relationships with others.

Ron then asks Deb how she can think to use the placebo effect.

  • Deb says it starts with noticing our own stories, and fighting your reptile brain.
  • Ron agrees that if we aren’t able to notice where the stories are coming from, then we all we can do is react, versus taking responsibility of our own actions.

Ron follows that up by asking Deb how she would share this lesson with someone, and how much the stories in our head create the world around us.

  • Deb says to try to identify when you had a placebo that worked, and what that story was that worked or didn’t.
  • Following that, she wonders what would happen if people can’t hold that they are the one creating the story.
  • Ron says he holds that everybody can hold that, and gives his advice on how others might be able to share this lesson.
  • Deb questions whether she wants these stories to run her life and how she is feeling.
  • Ron says being left alone with the stories in your head is viscous because you are isolated, but that sharing these stories can help.
  • Ron shares a personal story of when he had a story in his head about a coworker, and how changing that story altered their relationship for the better.

Join us to hear how understanding the idea of “self-talk” — and what you can do about it — could change your relationships and life for the better.

Visit www.macklinconnection.com

Episode Summary

The Placebo Effect

In this episode of “The Story in Your Head,” Ron and Deb discuss the placebo effect and how it is powerful enough to change the stories in your head. They discuss times when the placebo effect from these stories has impacted their lives and relationships.