The Placebo Effect: Healing Crystals and the Science

How the Placebo Effect Works

The placebo effect is a phenomenon in which someone experiences an improvement in their symptoms because of their expectations, previous experiences and the context in which a treatment is given, rather than because of anything the treatment itself does.

Although there's no scientific evidence to support crystals having the ability to heal, they're used for this purpose by millions of people around the world.

The placebo effect helps explain why some people report benefits from using crystals, despite the lack of scientific evidence that the crystals themselves can heal.

So, how does it work?

A placebo is a drug or a treatment with no medicinal component that can improve someone's symptoms because of their belief in it. Other psychological factors also play a part. It's far more than just positive thinking, and in some circumstances the effect can be surprisingly powerful.

According to Professor Ted Kaptchuk, who has conducted extensive research into the placebo effect, it's about creating a strong connection between the brain and body and how they work together.

In 1799, British doctor John Haygarth tested the effectiveness of a quack remedy using a placebo. Four of the five patients who unknowingly took part in his experiment reported a reduction in pain.

The word 'placebo' is Latin for 'I shall please'. It first appeared in a medical sense in the late eighteenth century. In 1811, Hooper's medical dictionary defined it as "an epithet given to any medicine adapted more to please than benefit the patient". At the time, few effective drugs existed, so doctors often prescribed to please.

The word's history goes back much further. When the Hebrew Bible was translated into Greek, a line from Psalm 116 meaning "I shall walk before the Lord" became "I shall please the Lord". Saint Jerome's Latin Bible, produced in the fourth century, followed the Greek, and the line began with the word 'placebo'.

Because that psalm opened the Vespers for the Dead, 'placebo' became the popular name for the service.

By the fourteenth century, 'to sing placebo' meant to feign grief at a funeral in the hope of a meal or a favour, and the word came to describe a flatterer. Chaucer named one of his characters Placebo for exactly that reason.

Early placebos were pills made from sugar or bread. Injections were coloured water.

By the 1950s, placebos were being used to test new drugs. Some volunteers received a placebo, while others were given the drug. What researchers didn't expect was for the placebo to sometimes produce an effect comparable to the drug itself.

Placebo surgeries, known as 'sham surgeries', have even been carried out. In some more extreme examples, the patient was cut open and stitched up without any medical procedure having taken place.

The placebo effect has been shown to change heart rate and blood pressure and to trigger the release of endorphins, the body's natural painkillers. In clinical trials of treatments for anxiety and depression, patients given a placebo have often improved.

Trials have shown that, in some cases, a placebo can be as effective as an antidepressant.

In one study, participants drank the same milkshake on two separate occasions. Each time, it was labelled as either low-calorie or high-calorie. Researchers measured their levels of ghrelin, a hormone that signals hunger to the brain. Levels fell more sharply when participants believed they had consumed the high-calorie shake, showing that their expectations influenced the body's response to the drink.

Scientists know that for the placebo effect to work, everything about the drug, treatment and environment in which it's delivered should be realistic and convincing. That said, some people have improved even when they knew they received a placebo.

In a study at Stanford University, participants were given a mild allergic reaction with a skin prick, then treated with a cream containing no active ingredient. The same practitioner saw everyone, but behaved differently with different groups.

When she came across as warm, confident and competent, in a smart, orderly setting, the cream reduced the reaction. When she seemed distant, unsure of herself and less capable, the same cream made no difference.

Healing Properties of Crystals

The use of crystals for their healing properties was re-popularised during the New Age movement of the 1970s and 1980s. This period was about religious freedom, transformation and enlightenment, spiritual awareness and personal growth.

The New Age movement promoted a holistic approach to health and well-being, which included practising yoga, meditating, eating healthy foods and using crystals for their metaphysical healing properties.

Leaders encouraged their use for spiritual guidance and to improve health and well-being.

For thousands of years, people have used rocks and minerals for their metaphysical properties.

The ancient Egyptians made amulets from stones, believing they could protect against illness and misfortune. Surviving examples include a serpentinite amulet dating to around 3500–3300 BC. The material, colour and shape all contributed to the amulet's perceived powers.

Few comprehensive scientific studies exist regarding the ability of crystals to heal. Research has shown that New Age literature lacks evidence and hard facts backed by science.

By the end of the 1980s, the New Age movement had lost momentum. As times changed, the practice of using crystals began to diminish.

Some twenty years later, a worldwide resurgence began. This latest trend has created a multi-billion-dollar industry.

How Do Crystals Work?

Anyone hoping to benefit from the perceived healing properties of crystals should first understand how they work. They do not have magical powers and should never be used to replace conventional medicine.

The belief that crystals can be used for therapeutic purposes comes from the idea that they absorb and transmit energy. This energy is believed to engage with the energy field of the human body to promote physical, emotional and spiritual healing.

Crystals are placed around the body or on chakra points. They can also be laid out in a grid.

Some people place them in rooms where they spend the most time. Others wear or carry them.

The healing is described as a sense of wholeness, serenity, and harmony. This is said to be achieved by aligning the mind, emotions and spirit and clearing energy blockages in the aura.

Enabling energy to flow freely is believed to support health and well-being. Blockages are said to cause mental or physical impairment, which could lead to illness.

Many healing crystals are believed to keep people grounded. Grounding is a sense of being in control of one's mental and physical self. You're conscious of what's happening around you and enjoy an inner calmness that enables you to deal with any situation.

The term 'well-being' encompasses feelings of protection, relaxation, confidence and support.

Researchers who study alternative therapies have noted that the ritual of cleansing and recharging crystals gives the practice a sense of legitimacy. It has been likened to the way medical equipment is prepared and sanitised before and after a procedure.

Many crystal healers say that to benefit from the healing properties of crystals, you must first learn how to work with them. Scholars describe this learning process as a way to enhance our perception and awareness.

By training the mind to understand something we find interesting, we become more open to it. With crystals, that's likely to lead to a more positive response.

Research has shown the placebo effect is more than just mind over matter. The mental, physical, or emotional change it can achieve should not be underestimated. The placebo effect has huge potential in medicine and is taken very seriously.

What's the Nocebo Effect?

The nocebo effect is the opposite of the placebo effect.

The word nocebo comes from the Latin 'nocere' meaning 'to harm'. It refers to the brain's ability to influence health in a negative way.

Like the placebo effect, the nocebo effect is caused by the power of suggestion, expectation and personal experience.

The nocebo effect is the phenomenon in which a person experiences adverse or harmful effects due to a negative expectation or belief about a treatment or therapy.

If someone believes a medication will cause a particular side effect, they may experience it.

Similarly, if they're told a medical procedure or treatment will be painful or uncomfortable, they may experience more pain or discomfort than they would otherwise.

Conclusion

Using crystals for their healing properties can be rewarding and enjoyable. They're aesthetically pleasing and, when polished, can be incredibly tactile. Many have a magical quality that's difficult to put into words.

My advice is to appreciate crystals for what they are and to keep an open mind. Don't expect miracles, and be patient if they don't have the desired effect.

Most importantly, don't believe everything that you read.

If science is right, as it usually is, and the placebo effect is responsible for the benefits people report from crystals, then what better way to improve health and well-being than by using the power of the mind?