Near Death Experience

[Mattus]

The mind is largely a cocktail of biochemicals, as are most medicines. It's therefore entirely plausible that the mind, like a medicine, can affect pathophysiology, and there's even some evidence to support this. Evidence which wouldn't include the OP's NDE story.

Wouldn't matter what treatment is given

I think you'll find there is abundant evidence that the type of treatment given matters a great deal. It may not be the only factor, but it certainly is a very, very important factor.

And if someone is strong willed enough with positive thought they can defy medical practitioners' hopeless prognostications.

Surprising a doctor does not constitute not a miracle. Data are normally distributed. When considering those who exceed predictions, you must also consider those who deteriorate quickly.

Clinical trial data does support the ability of placebo to affect perceptions of disease, particularly pain and depression, which suggests a role for positive thought in medicine. But there is little data to support the power of prayer or positive thought alone, and for all medicines approved for use, they must be superior to placebo, that is to positive thought, alone. Where positive thought is associated with better outcomes, it always disappears with multivariate analysis (suggesting the association is driven by people who areless likely to die feeling more positive, rather than more people who are more positive being less likely to die).

But your argument seems to be that only weak willed, negative people die. This is utterly ridiculous.

[boxy]

Data are normally distributed. When considering those who exceed predictions, you must also consider those who deteriorate quickly.

You're not playing by the rules, Mattus.

Surprising recoveries are "miracles", and those who don't respond to treatment... well, that's all the doctors fault (bastards!).

This woman believed in her treatment... too bad it was a proven shonk, and her husband wouldn't step in and get her to a doctor.

[freediver]

and those who don't respond to treatment... well, that's all the doctors fault

Either that or they hired the wrong spirit guide.

[Outlaw Yogi]

The mind is largely a cocktail of biochemicals, as are most medicines. It's therefore entirely plausible that the mind, like a medicine, can affect pathophysiology, and there's even some evidence to support this.

I'll bet there is.

But your argument seems to be that only weak willed, negative people die. This is utterly ridiculous.

No, not the argument at all, but it no doubt plays a considerable part.

Take for example this eccentric Austrian inventor down at Bungendore, near Canberra.
A friend of his had inoperable bowel cancer, and was informed by his doctor he had a limited time to live. The somewhat crazy Austrian character got in his head, told him he would not die of the bowel cancer blah blah, and filled him up full of chilli regularly.
Some time later the individual suffering the bowel cancer miraculously recovered completely.
I find it highly unlikely the large doses of chilli were responsible for the positive result (unless chilli is high in selenium - I better check that, just in case), so the placebo effect seems to be the only reasonable explanation for such an outcome.

Another bloke (customer of my father) who had the Colostomy Bag and always on Cortisone was given 6 months to live by his doctor. This bloke ran a light fitting business, had a Mr Whippy ice-cream run, built his own besser block house, and lived for a further 20 years. Outliving everyone in his family and the doctor who told him he'd dead in 6 months.

I could probably waffle on and on ad infintium, but I gather you get the/my point.

[AiA in Atlanta]

I have a game that I play called... I WILL IT TO BE SO... and it works, most of the time.

Also called, Act As If or Fake It Til You Make It. Agreed. It is highly effective.

The older I get the more I see that no one really has a clue as to what they are doing.

[AiA in Atlanta]

Lady gets cancer, feel sick.
Lady gets chemo, feels better.
Cool story.

Lady gets cancer, feels sick.
Lady gets chemo, chemo isn't working and is on the brink of death. Oncologist says she is dying and there is nothing that can be done.
Lady comes back, no trace of cancer can be found. Oncologist puzzled.
Cool story.