Want to know why you’re experiencing those terrible side effects from Big Pharma’s drugs?
It’s all in your head!
At least that’s the conclusion researchers at Philipps- University Marburg in Germany came to in a study of 100 patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
They start off by pushing the line that most medication side effects aren’t life threatening or serious, but that they can be "frightening and distressing" and can make people not want to take their drugs. I guess some of us are just too weak-willed to put up with a few harmless side effects.
The participants completed the Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire, which first asked people about their beliefs regarding the need for and risks of medications. Then they were asked about the frequency and severity of any side effects they were experiencing.
Of the 100 people, 77 reported having been bothered by side effects. After six months of treatment for their arthritis, 87 of the original 100 were brought back in for a follow up. And lo-and-behold, 52% reported being bothered by side effects of the drug.
The researchers reported that the patients who expressed concerns about taking medication were more likely to report side effects. How much more likely? Well, that’s where they get considerably more vague in their reports to the press.
Mind you, the study only involved people with one specific type of arthritis. But that doesn’t matter!
The lead researcher, Dr. Yvonne Nestoriuc, "guesses" that the same thing happens "across a wide range of drugs," and that this is something that happens in a lot of patient populations. She also said that people tend to think pre- existing bothersome symptoms are side effects of a new drug, and report them as such.
Well…how convenient. So much for scientific inquiry.
Look. There’s something to be said for worry sometimes making things worse. Self-fulfilling prophecies and all that. But the reason we’re so worried about these side effects is because they’re REAL, not because we’re over- thinking things.
It might be a lot easier to pin the blame on us, and this study makes it a lot easier for the mainstream to do just that. But I, for one, am not going to sit quietly while my doctor and Big Pharma give me a pat on the head and tell me, "don’t worry, sweetheart. It’s all in your head."
Just try it.
Ms. O’Brien has written for Nutrition & Healing, Healthier Talk and a variety of other natural and alternative health outlets. She believes in the power of natural medicine and her goal is to open people’s eyes to the benefits of alternative and integrative medicine.
Christine is passionate about helping people help themselves without having to turn to harsh drugs or invasive surgeries.
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