Does prayer have a placebo effect?

[benren06]

Hi everyone,
For years I have tried to come closer to God and have made no progress, in fact it was getting harder and harder despite my best efforts. I recently went to confession (Note: during these years I still went to confession) and told the priest how I’ve been struggling so much and he asked if I pray. I replied that I tried but it was very hard. He said that I needed to truly prayer to God and that was the reason I was not progressing. So for the next two days I started praying. like really meaning it, but now (day 4) I have these old doubts coming back. I wonder if prayer is just a placebo, you know were change happens because you believe they will happen.
For instance a person thinks a rock as magical powers that will cure his, lets say, depression, and as a result he has hope and positive thought and as a result he becomes less depressed. I’m taking Psychology this semester and were learning how often this happens and how careful psychologist have to be in designing experiments in response to this placebo effect, thus they create control groups, double blind studies, etc. I was researching studies on prayer where sick people were prayed for without their knowledge and some studies revealed positive results others didn’t. It did show that when people new they were being prayed for but they improved, but this can be attributed to knowing people are praying for them and care about them, hence increasing positive thoughts. I want to get over this doubt because I believe that the lack of solid prayer in my life is what is separating me from God.
This doubt really bothers me because even if as a begin to progress in my spiritual life it just feels like a placebo and self hypnosis. I can pray for stronger faith, for God to draw me nearer to him etc, but how am I supposed to pray for God to remove my doubt in prayer. Even if he takes it away I seems like that could be a result of my wanting it to happen. When I was in High School I desperately used to pray to God and it seemed like he never answered. And now I look at people especially evangelicals who pray and then when something works out in their life they attribute it to prayer, even if it could be a result of medical help, or some other factor. Again I don’t know how it happened exactly but my faith is ridiculously weak right now and I can’t seem to get out of it. I just know feeling like I am closer to God and now it seems like I’m sinking back to the years of emptiness and confusion of the past. Sorry everyone for the long, unorganized, and pathetically melancholy post, but if you can offer any help, advice, etc I would be grateful. Actually, perhaps what I really need are other people to pray for me during this fight back to faith. Thank you all for taking the time to help me! : )

 

[bnbkaine]

God answers every prayer. We might not like the answer and sometimes it doesn’t come exactly when we want it to, but He does.

I suggest reading St. John of the Cross’s Dark Night of the Soul. I think you would find that there is a lot of similarity between how you are feeling and how others have felt before you. I guess I don’t understand our Protestant brothers and sisters having a problem with the communion of saints. These people have been through everything we go through now and are great examples.

Hope that helps!

 

[Zacdecat]

No, it has a real effect.

I had a nasty bug and spent the last day vomiting my insides out…needless to say I was utterly miserable and feeling wretched…I curled up in my sickbed and begged that it should soon be over if that be the Will of God…I started my rosary and blessedly fell asleep and when I awoke I felt better…Praise be.

 

[Victorious]

I wonder if prayer is just a placebo, you know were change happens because you believe they will happen.
For instance a person thinks a rock as magical powers that will cure his, lets say, depression, and as a result he has hope and positive thought and as a result he becomes less depressed. I’m taking Psychology this semester and were learning how often this happens and how careful psychologist have to be in designing experiments in response to this placebo effect, thus they create control groups, double blind studies, etc. I was researching studies on prayer where sick people were prayed for without their knowledge and some studies revealed positive results others didn’t. It did show that when people new they were being prayed for but they improved, but this can be attributed to knowing people are praying for them and care about them, hence increasing positive thoughts. I want to get over this doubt because I believe that the lack of solid prayer in my life is what is separating me from God.

It’s true: lack of prayer will separate you from God. In fact, in The Great Means of Salvation and Perfection, St. Alphonsus Liguori goes so far as to say this:

He who prays is certainly saved. He who prays not is certainly damned. All the blessed (except infants) have been saved by prayer. All the damned have been lost through not praying; if they had prayed, they would not have been lost. And this is, and will be, their greatest torment in hell, to think how easily they might have been saved, only by asking God for His grace; but that now it is too late – the time of prayer is over.

Scripture says we have not, because we ask not. But it also says that we ask and do not receive, because we ask wrongly, to spend it on our passions (James 4:2-3). Is it possible the problem lies in the fact that your primary focus is on what YOU get out of praying? Could the problem also lie in the fact that what you want is not what you should want?

When our prayer resembles a vending machine transaction more than a relationship with a real Person Who created us, loves us and deserves our love in return, we are going to have an extremely tough time pleasing God and growing in faith.

 

[Monica4316]

I don’t really understand… if you pray for greater faith, and then you feel less doubt as a result, - that is still from God even if it happened because you wanted it. God always wants us to have greater faith and is offering this gift to us, and we need to accept it. We’d only accept it if we want it… if we don’t want it, we are rejecting His gift. This doesn’t mean that God is not involved here… if He was not involved, you would not want faith in the first place.

prayer is not like magic, we need to cooperate with God’s grace and actively/willingly accept it. The only times He “forces” something to happen is with miracles…

 

[Bluegoat]

It would be difficult to test this, but I expect it could have such an effect. That wouldn’t mean that it might not also have a “real” effect though.

I have occasionally met people who have told me their prayers were answered in a way I was very skeptical of, and I tend to think they were imagining a connection where none existed.

 

[benren06]

Hey everyone thanks for taking the time to help me. I will definitely check out St. John of the Cross’s Dark Night of the Soul. Also as you mentioned Victorious, I think their is truth in your question about if I am truly aligning my prayer up with God. In the past although I asked God to show me what he wanted me to do with my life but I think it was a demanding prayer wanting a quick answer and also an awesome answer where I would do great things. Lately I have been working on unconditionally surrendering my life to Jesus. Even when I surrender my will to Jesus and he seems not to answer I prayer, “God even though I don’t feel your presence I am still committed to you” I also posted a prayer request and have also been making other steps as well. And it God is working in my life. That emptiness in my heart even during times of laughter is being filled with a peace and God’ grace.
I want to emphasize that God is working in my life and its not like I believe that my spiritual progress is simply through my own efforts. Rather it is through my surrender to his will and openness to him has simply removed the road blocks that were keeping his grace out of my life. Granted their is a lot in my life that needs changing but even in that God is showing me where I need to improve and I know he will give me the grace to do so. I look forward to reading some the books you guys mentioned as well. But as you all stressed our spiritual progress depends on our surrender to Jesus and his grace which come through prayer. Thanks again, I will keep you all in my prayers.

(Note how do you guys create those text boxes for quotes?)

 

[benren06]

Hey everyone thanks for taking the time to help me. I will definitely check out St. John of the Cross’s Dark Night of the Soul. Also as you mentioned Victorious, I think their is truth in your question about if I am truly aligning my prayer up with God. In the past although I asked God to show me what he wanted me to do with my life but I think it was a demanding prayer wanting a quick answer and also an awesome answer where I would do great things. Lately I have been working on unconditionally surrendering my life to Jesus. Even when I surrender my will to Jesus and he seems not to answer I prayer, “God even though I don’t feel your presence I am still committed to you” I also posted a prayer request and have also been making other steps as well. And it God is working in my life. That emptiness in my heart even during times of laughter is being filled with a peace and God’ grace.
I want to emphasize that God is working in my life and its not like I believe that my spiritual progress is simply through my own efforts. Rather it is through my surrender to his will and openness to him has simply removed the road blocks that were keeping his grace out of my life. Granted their is a lot in my life that needs changing but even in that God is showing me where I need to improve and I know he will give me the grace to do so. I look forward to reading some the books you guys mentioned as well. But as you all stressed our spiritual progress depends on our surrender to Jesus and his grace which come through prayer. Thanks again, I will keep you all in my prayers.

(Note how do you guys create those text boxes for quotes?)

 

[Contra_Mundum_1]

This doubt really bothers me because even if as a begin to progress in my spiritual life it just feels like a placebo and self hypnosis. I can pray for stronger faith, for God to draw me nearer to him etc, but how am I supposed to pray for God to remove my doubt in prayer. Even if he takes it away I seems like that could be a result of my wanting it to happen.

I don’t think it always works like that. Sometimes we pray for a particular thing and there is no direct response. It doesn’t mean the prayer doesn’t ‘work’. Maybe it’s a question of getting a response on what we actually need, even if we are not aware of it. I often figure out later on that some things have happened that eventually brought me to what I prayed for initially, but I just didn’t see it clearly.
Or maybe your prayer for stronger faith will not result in you waking up one day and having great faith that can’t be shaken, but perhaps you will find yourself in a situation that will demand you put all of your trust in God, and in that process your faith will increase.
in any case, I’ve learned that prayer is good whether we pray out of selfish reasons or truly seek God’s will. Because eventually, if we persist, we will figure out His will and will desire what he wants us to desire. It’s baby steps sometimes. His ways are mysterious after all

 

[humble_catholic]

Hello Benren, for the last 5 months I also have been going through a Dark Night of the Soul. Mine has been so intense that I have been shaking in my bed with stress pains(it could be that my ocd might be making it worse). I could have ran from it but instead I cried out every single day for God and the Holy Mother. I now say the rosary every day and even though I am in total numbness, darkness and doubt, I have decided to take that full leap of faith and trust God. He knows this and sees all. I dont know where these words are coming from but im going to trust my heart, and my heart says GODDD.

If you want you can read the Saint Johns book here

books.google.com/books?id=69CyQCuBiTgC&dq=dark+night+of+the+soul&printsec=frontcover&source=bn&hl=en&ei=_vblS5e0LYzkswPVwuzmDQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CDEQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q&f=false

I hope it is ok to post that, please let me know if it isnt

God Bless you Benren on your journey back, I will put you on my prayer intentions list
Please pray for me as I have a feeling you are one of gods special ones

 

[Marc_Anthony]

Just a thought…

Is it possible that God uses the placebo effect simply as a way to answer prayers? Like, take the magic rock example, except we replace the magic rock with prayer for God. You know God will cure your depression when you pray for him. You pray for him, you get more hopeful because of your prayer, and thus your depression is cured. But isn’t that in fact the answer to the prayer? Why should God do more if the placebo effect (which remember is his Creation just like everything else) is already accomplishing His will? It’s just another way for God to be present in our lives.

My story: I was going through a similar dark night of the soul. In my bed I was afraid. I was terrified of dying, frustrated that God wasn’t responding, and for some reason I was just worried about my family dying…IDK why, there was no good reason. Perhaps just because I was struggling heavily with my faith at the time. I prayed to God to help me lift this depression, which had lasted for several days. I asked Him to help me know Him. When I was finished praying, the most amazing thing happened. A tremendous peace filled my soul, and I knew that God was comforting me. Due to the Mercy of God, I slept in peace.

Could this have simply been the placebo effect? Sure. Does this necessarily mean that the placebo effect wasn’t God’s answer to my prayer anyway? Of course not! The placebo effect could merely have been His way of answering.

 

[EllenMary]

I am new to the catholic church, so I may not have the best answer to your concerns, but it all comes down to one thing: FAITH. It sounds to be like you are getting so caught up in the logistics of it, and forgetting that is what God is, faith. It is easy to have so many questions and think about everything too hard. We all do it. But at the end of the day, if you truly believe, He will always be there for you. I have always been told to mean every prayer that you say, and even Jesus says do not pray meaningless prayers. So really think about what you are praying for. Try going to church as much as you can and just sitting there with God and meditating and praying. He will help you through this, and when you are ready, will be waiting for you with open arms.

 

[Spirithound]

I wonder if prayer is just a placebo, you know were change happens because you believe they will happen.

I want to get over this doubt because I believe that the lack of solid prayer in my life is what is separating me from God.

This doubt really bothers me because even if as a begin to progress in my spiritual life it just feels like a placebo and self hypnosis.

Actually, perhaps what I really need are other people to pray for me during this fight back to faith. Thank you all for taking the time to help me! : )

Prayer is not primarily asking for things. The highest form of prayer we have is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, where we give our thanks, praise, and adoration to God. Try just this: praise and adoration, in your next prayer time.

Now, I would like to know how you think prayer “feels” like a placebo? By definition, a placebo feels exactly the same as the real treatment. See, this is not just a passive lack of faith in you, you’re actively being tempted with the Big Lie, that God doesn’t care about you. My friend, get mad! Put the enemy in his place, and get praying! I am praying for you too.