How the powerful placebo effect works

By: 60 Minutes Overtime Staff
Topics: Correspondent Candids

When Harvard researcher Irving Kirsch told Lesley Stahl that the difference between taking an antidepressant and taking a sugar pill is minimal for most people, the 60 Minutes correspondent said, "But people are getting better taking antidepressants. I know them."

In this "Overtime" feature, you'll hear Lesley share her own family's personal experience with antidepressants-- and how the news in her own report affects her family.

Also in this video, Lesley discusses new and controversial research on the placebo effect and the ethics of lying to patients who might benefit from the power of the placebo.

Do you have a personal story to share? Please tell us your experience with depression treatments and your thoughts on Lesley's report on antidepressants in the comments section.

Watch Lesley Stahl's report "Treating Depression," produced by Richard Bonin.

65 Comments +

Add a Comment

See all 65 Comments


by bobdugmore April 6, 2012 8:31 AM EDT: I live in the UK and bought Prof.Kirsch's book.I found it fascinating.There's a lot of paranoia around this topic; do we trust the profit-making drug companies or Prof.Kirsch who, after all,makes money from his book!! I thought his analysis was sound but I was troubled that even he admits these drugs do work for the severely depressed- perhaps these are just the loneliest people who need to feel cared for the most, but that seemed to me to be the main possible weakness of his analysis.; Reply to this comment


by lonestarslp March 23, 2012 3:57 PM EDT: I am very disappointed that you would allow a man hawking his book to say such irresponsible things on national television. I have bipolar disorder, and it was not until I was on a mood stabilizer and an antidepressant that I was able to think clearly enough to take advantage of therapy. His method of critiquing the studies, meta-analysis, is a weak method of inquiry because it is only as accurate as the weakest study. This man has a profit motive as strong as any pharmaceutical company. With so many people misunderstanding science and medicine, especially mental illness, you have set back our cause 20 years.; Reply to this comment


by DrSapadin March 6, 2012 7:52 PM EST: Loved your program.
But how come you didn't mention that there are safer and better alternatives for treating depression. Cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy has been proven to be an effective treatment for those with mild or moderate depression. Psychotherapy comes with no disturbing or dangerous side effects. And its benefits last a lifetime, as one learns effective coping skills and strategies to deal with difficult situations, intense emotions and self-defeating patterns of behavior.

So, why is it that people remain hooked on anti-depressants?
The typical scenario goes something like this. You're feeling down, helpless, unsure about what to do or whom to turn to. As you flip through the magazine, view the commercial, surf the net, you're repeatedly exposed to an ad showing a melancholy, mournful lost soul. Twenty seconds later, this person has morphed into a lighthearted, joyful soul who's smiling as she's running through the daisies to embrace her loved ones.

The rational part of us recognizes this as Madison Avenue hype; yet the emotional part of us gets hooked. We long for an easy, effortless solution. Modern medicine is constantly delivering miracles, perhaps it can also help with depression. As the ad advises, you speak with your doctor. You describe your symptoms in the 12 minutes allotted to you (if you're lucky). Your doctor checks for somatic signs that may be a causal factor. If there's nothing significant, he'll probably prescribe an anti-depressant. Typically there's no mention of psychotherapy, physical exercise, or nutrition. It's not the way the system works. It's not in the doctor's bag of tools. It's not in the time budget of a doctor's busy day.

And so the beat goes on; the beat goes on.; Reply to this comment

by gsweeten February 22, 2012 4:00 PM EST

As a therapist I have known this research for years. It correlates exactly with prayer, faith, hope and love. Listen to what Dr. Kirsch said about treatment: "if the Psychiatrist listens, asks questions and shows empathy, you will get better."

Britain is training thousands of "Talk Therapists" and that is great because great relationships relieve depression.

Reply to this comment


by smithmama February 22, 2012 5:54 PM EST: Lets all just sing a happy tune. As a depression sufferer all my life, all I can say is that you should not be a theropist.


by rickbeth38 February 21, 2012 5:34 PM EST: Good job 60 Minutes, but don't stop there. Investigate deeper into the drug companies and government corruption that has allowed this to become the epidemic that it has.

I understand the anger that ones are expressing, I get this way every time I get sold bad goods too, and a little embarrassed.

Again Good Job; Reply to this comment


by rickbeth38 February 21, 2012 5:34 PM EST: Good job 60 Minutes, but don't stop there. Investigate deeper into the drug companies and government corruption that has allowed this to become the epidemic that it has.

I understand the anger that ones are expressing, I get this way every time I get sold bad goods too, and a little embarrassed.

Again Good Job; Reply to this comment


by alexkye February 21, 2012 4:26 PM EST: I am 68 years old and have been on antidepressants since my early 40's. I have been on most antidepressants available.
My doctor changed my prescription due to side effects about half the time, but the the rest of the time, he changed the drug because I stopped responding to the one I was on. I attempted suicide while on antidepressants and contemplated it many times. If my response was due to the placebo effect, why would it stop working after many months? I suffered many years of shame because of my use of these drugs. I have finally come to the conviction that it alright. When I watched the program, my doubts came back. Believe me when I say that I would much rather not be on antidepressants, but even cutting down on the dose with my doctor's permission has not worked for me. I still suffer from depressive episodes even on the antidepressant. My psychiatrist and antidepressants have saved my life many times, so I will continue to follow his advice.

I do think that the TV advertizements cause people to request medications from their doctors when other options would work just as well for mild/moderate symptoms. I feel that this is true for all medical conditions, not just mental conditions.; Reply to this comment


by rhood12 February 21, 2012 12:36 AM EST: The placebo effect is very similar to what Shamans used to do with magic potions to effectively treat diseases. Same as snake oil vendors 100 years ago and acupuncture today. See the e-booklet below about the comparison. "Heaven on Earth: The Intersection of Science and Religion" on Amazon.

http://amzn.com/B004C44LM8; Reply to this comment


by Altostrata February 20, 2012 11:29 PM EST: There are perhaps a dozen peer support Web sites for tapering off antidepressants and recovering from withdrawal syndrome. I am associated with one of them, SurvivingAntidepressants.org.

It's important to taper off as slowly as your nervous system requires. Some people can quit quickly with few problems. Some people have problems reducing by a fraction of a milligram per month.

For years, I have been begging doctors to tailor tapers carefully to the individual and consider very slow tapering -- starting at a 10% reduction per month -- to be the norm, to protect those who might be susceptible to severe and prolonged withdrawal syndrome.

There are people on my site who have been injured by too-fast tapering -- as directed by their doctors -- and are taking years to recover from it (I'm one of them). Others have had unsuccessful tapers in the past and are tapering very slowly now, at a rate their nervous systems can handle without too much problem. For some people, it takes years to get off antidepressants.

The danger of severe withdrawal syndrome is one of the drawbacks of antidepressants that were minimized and hidden -- like the questionable efficacy discussed in this 60 Minutes segment -- as long as pharmaceutical companies needed to protect their patents and their sales.

Some doctors will deny that there is any problem quitting antidepressants, and claim that withdrawal symptoms are generated by patients' too-active imaginations.

Other dangers of antidepressants are significantly increased risk of diabetes, stroke, and osteoporosis. Leslie Stahl's husband may believe his antidepressant is working (after many years, how would he know?), but the trade-off of unnecessary medication may be a later life with diabetes.

Many people believe they need the medication because they tried to go off and suffered "depression" and "anxiety" like they never suffered before. That's not a relapse or exacerbation of your mental disorder -- that's withdrawal syndrome and an indication you need to taper very slowly to safely quit.; Reply to this comment


by strongkid February 20, 2012 10:25 PM EST: This 60 minutes segment highlighted the potential benefits of the placebo effect but shinned just a little light on alternative treatment strategies for mild depression such as those in the UK which include regular physical activity. The belief that exercise is good for health is not a novel concept, but rather predates the historical writings of ancient Greek philosophy. There are no side effects from moderate exercise and the pleiotropic benefits for our body and mind are remarkable. Further, mo medication in the world can match the collective health-enhancing effects of regular exercise. Perhaps we need to identify inactive people with 'exercise deficit disorder' early in life before they suffer from the inevitable cascade of adverse health consequences later in life. Individuals who are not meeting the current recommendations for physical activity (i.e., at least 30 minutes on most days of the week) should be identified and treated with the same energy and resolve as a patient with a traditional medical condition. We should adhere to the wisdom of the ancient Greek physicians and make every attempt to promote the modern day concept that exercise really is medicine.; Reply to this comment

See all 65 Comments

Popular Now in 60 Minutes Overtime

recommended

Follow 60 Minutes Overtime

Most Popular on CBS News

Stories More »

Videos More »

America's #1 News Program, Now on your iPad Download Now »

Recently on 60 Minutes

Michael Jackson's lucrative legacy
The Michael Jackson brand is alive and well-paid: the pop legend has made more money in death than he ever did alive. Lara Logan reports.
A Face in the Crowd: Say goodbye to anonymity
Even if your picture isn't on the Internet, computerized facial recognition makes it virtually impossible to keep your "faceprint" private. Lesley Stahl reports.
Afghan children on a long and perilous journey
Thousands of mostly teenage boys have fled their country to embark on a 10,000-mile trek to Europe in search of a better life. Anderson Cooper reports.
North Korean prisoner escaped after 23 brutal years
Born in a prison camp, Shin Dong-hyuk describes how three generations of a family are incarcerated if one family member is considered disloyal. Anderson Cooper reports.

60 Minutes on Facebook

How the powerful placebo effect works

Report offensive content:

E-mail this comment to a friend.

Follow 60 Minutes Overtime

48 Hours iPad App