not admit to my lovely df that i think homeopathy is a load of, well, nonsense?

[ForkInTheForeheid]

My df is a big believer in homeopathy, the homeopathic Dr was the first port of call when we were kids, I'm sure we as kids and my dad have had lots of benefit from the placebo effect over the years. :-) however, as an adult with a critical mind and some scientific knowledge I came to the conclusion that I didn't believe any of homeopathy's claims. So for several years every time DS or I get any illness my dad tells me which homeopathic remedy I need, emphatic that aconite will destroy the common cold if you "catch it early enough" and that rus. tox. (?) will cure chicken pox and stop the spots from turning into scabs, they will just disappear back into the body apparently...

So aibu to politely nod and agree despite thinking it's a load of rubbish (no placebo effect if you don't believe it will work either) or should I admit my scepticism to him? I'm usually pretty honest with people and so it makes me feel icky and uncomfortable but I don't want to hurt his feelings.

" The only good thing I can say for it is that it isn't harmful, unlike some herbal meds etc."

I think it is harmful if used INSTEAD of medical advice/diagnosis/treatment rather than as well as

Bit of a leap that if someone feels the need to respond to someones repeated pushing of quack-medicine with "actually I think its a load of rubbish" then they "need to be vocally right all the time".

Massive leaps of logic and accusations based on same is also a weakness.

Homeopathy made my eczema disappear in two weeks and for a year before that I tried every possible cream and other things.

It didn't. Sugar water has no effect on eczema.

Dont talk crap. I know what I went through.

its not like the OPs father is just quietly getting on with using homeopathy on himself, he is also doing exactly what people on here are accusing people who DON'T like homeopathy of doing, he thinks he knows it all about every ailment the OPs family has and is telling her what to do!

so if she were to tell him its a load of cack (and why) she would only be returning the favour

so what homeopathic remedy did you take kitty? Are you aware of how they are made?

Your excema may have gone away 2 weeks after you stared using homeopathy. But the two things are not connected.

Both religion and homeopathy bring a lot of comfort to people.

I'm not talking crap. Sugar and water can't cure your eczema, no matter how much you shake it and wish over it. If it had cured you, it would have to have broken the laws of physics to do so.

If it's placebo then the two are connected. Placebo effect is a very weird and wonderful thing.

It could well be that rather than her believing that sugar and water cured her eczema, kitty doesn't realise that this is all that homeopathy is. A lot of people confuse homeopathy with herbal medicine.

"Do try to grasp the basics before jumping in with an opinion."

CallMeAl - I think that part of your post was harsh and unnecessary

Was it? I don't believe so when it was directed at a poster who jumped in with "don't talk tosh" and then out-toshed everyone else.

I still can't beleive people will throw down supposed medicine without the first clue as to what is in it or how its meant to work.

I totally agree with your comments about homeopathic medicine. I didn't realise the poster you replied to had said - don't talk tosh, so when I read your post I did think it was harsh

Well I am a narky old cow-bag, and this subject pisses me off more than most.

Half of the medicines we take are placebos in my opinion.

I worked with elderly and their prescriptions were pages long. Many of the things they took claimed to become ineffective over time. Painkillers for example but they believed they helped (because the doctor said so) so all to the good.

If someone says exercise is good for you it might not be true. If someone in a white coat says exercise is good for you then it must be right.

(I worked in the NHS so saw alot of this, we are all being hoodwinked imo)

Er no, exercise is good for you because exercise is good for you. Who tells you this makes no difference at all.
Painkillers contain active ingredients that kill pain. This is a fact.

You might be being hoodwinked, some of us take the time and effort to understand any medication we might take.

Buy one of these

Wear it at every opportunity.

That ought to do the trick

OP

I would do exactly what you are doing - your df is not going to change now. Nod politely, listen but take absolutely no notice of what he says.

Homeopathy has its place for the lentil weavers, but it is not for me.

Pain is a very interesting and complex subject callmeal and I don't think you can make such a sweeping statement, actually some mild painkillers have been shown, in some cases, to do barely anything. So in that case the powerful effect of the placebo is coming into play.
The white coat effect is also an extremely powerful thing although I'm not sure the exercise example is a good one.
Also as mayisout says half the conventional drugs out are pretty ineffective on a biochemical level.

Agree with whoever spoke about placebos. It is well documented that placebos DO have a huge impact on peoples' ailments. There was a programme on Radio 4 about it recently. The Drs agreed that they can work and but it is difficult ethically to prescribe them if you know there is a medically proven "proper" alternative.

When a new drug is licensed, the manufacturers will have shed-loads of studies showing just how effective it is. After a decade, when the patent is running out, there are loads more studies showing it's barely better than placebo*. Rough rule of thumb from expert reviewers of medical evidence but largely true. The placebo effect is real and important - and applies to conventional medicines as much as complementary therapies.

If something works for you, relieves your pain, helps you to get through a hard time, then it is a good thing. Whether it's merely seeing your GP and talking through whatever is wrong, taking the latest wonder drug from a major pharmaceutical company or homeopathic arnica.

I don't know why homeopathy makes some people so darn angry or why they are so intent on nagging anyone who uses it and has had a positive experience. If you don't like it, don't have any - no-one's forced to use homeopathy, after all.

I was meaning exercise is good for you as a quote.

In my elderly mother's case my telling her to exercise her feet to reduce swollen ankles was a waste of time. When the doc told her to she started to do it (but not enough). Can't believe others have not come across this.

Alot of todays illness is age related. People aren't ill with a disease but ill because the old organs are packing up and ops to repair them keep them going.

So we might not be comparing like with like. Acupuncture/ homeopathy might stave off disease whereas much of modern medicine sorts ageing bodies eg heart bypasses whcih are ten a penny these days. Also much of modern 'diseases' are due to bad diet eg high fat diet causing overweightedness which results in need for knee replacement due to OA etc. So these alternative medicines possibly do help but not with some modern medical probs.

Xd with edam who I entirely agree with.