Anecdotal experience is not evidence neither is the fact that it's been used for centuries. We smoked tobacco for centuries too before we learned it was bad. Just because something is natural and heavily used doesn't automatically mean it has validity, that is the importance of doing double blind studies and research. Placebo has a huge effect on people.
Who says tobacco is bad? I am going to show you how deceptive "double blind studies" can actually be using this example. Tobacco also, is a wonderful herb/medicine/teacher plant. The native americans used it for centuries in healing, religious rituals and for enjoyment. They did not experience the disease or addiction associated with it that we do.
You can use "studies" to prove that tobacco is bad, but that does not make it true. Let me ask you, do these "studies" account for the intention with which people use it? Do they account for the amount of knowledge of how to use plants and herbs the people who use it have? Do they account for cultural attitudes associated with the plantt? Do they account for the setting in which it is used (ei, out in nature vs near the entrance to buildings? Do they account for natural tobacco vs commerical tobacco with added chemicals? Of course not. One man's poison can be another man's cure. I have used tobacco for years with no addiction or health problems, for me tobacco has been a teacher plant as it was for the native Americans. Yes, its true americans have been harmed by their abuse of tobacco but does that mean tobacco is bad or maybe americans dont how to use it responsibly?
Now even if studies could account for all those variables, which they can't, they still wouldn't be trustworthy because the scientific research industry (especially as it pertains to medicine) is corrupt. watch this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWpdW4DugPg
you criticize me for posting my anecdotal experience as evidence. Did you read the OP? The OP asks for "anecdotal" experiences. I was simply providing what was asked for. And funnily enough, the experiences of random people on bluelight have been far more useful to me than scientific studies when it comes to learning about how to use drugs. Let me give you an example, years ago when suboxone came out the "scientific" literature recommended a dose of 8 mg two or three times a day or something ridiculous like that. I came on bluelight and people told me, from their experience (not studies, mind you) that was way more than was needed. Who was right? The bluelighters of course.
I am not saying you should just believe any claim you read on the internet. When someone posts an anecdotal experience, you note it with the understanding that your mileage may vary.
and I never said "valerian is good
because its natural. It's true that I have found natural herbs to work way better with my mind and body than the crap churned out by the pharmaceutical industry, but thats another debate and not a claim I made in this thread.
