Romeo: Oh, my love! My wife! Death has sucked the honey from your breath, but it has not yet ruined your beauty.  Come, bitter poison, come, unsavory guide! You desperate pilot, let's crash this sea-weary ship into the rocks! Here's to my love

This is the last part of Romeo and Juliet. In Shakespeare work, the two major characters die by taking poison. If they had done as King Mithradate, In short, if they had raised their immunity to poison, they would not have met the tragic end everyone knows in Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet. 

If so, How well will we respond to the Mithridates effect?

It is traditionally said that Mithridate was hooked on the poison. As such , he could not live without a little poison everyday. Eventually A little poison, or a little pain are not to kill someone but to save one’s life. In addition it can also deliver the addictive qualities of a drug.

However, the effect can be reduced. into a narrow range, composed of two factors. First, It must become a means for developing oneself. Second, it has to have a toxic character. For example, one child is scolding by his mother everyday and eventually the child is apathetic to it. Is this a suitable case for the Mithridates effect? 

The answer is ‘NO’, of course. The child does not respond to rebuke anymore. He has been desensitized. However, will such scolding be helpful to the child? Can it be so? Besides, Rebuke must not be addictive and does not have a toxic effect.

Next, Let us examine another case. Mary signed up for ballet class. She attended the class everyday. To improve he dancing skills, Mary had to do stretching: spread her legs, and lean back

Mary felt pain when her legs made the shape ‘1’ But, not any more after a month. As her body becomes supple, she has warmed up to ballet.

Is this a suitable case of the Mithridates effect? The answer is ‘YES’ the stretching which gives her to pain is the motive and power for promoting her skill. The stretching has a character of being toxic. If she did not stretch routinely , her body would be stiff, so it is suitable case.

Now, what is the different between scolding example and stretching one?

Like instances of scolding are bad responses and leaves the child out in the cold.

Better examples are stretching, bike riding and reading a book.

In short, Mithridates effect has not produced  by things, brought out by a neglecting reaction to something.

 Psychological professor Shin Su-young whose major is behaviorist psychology said that all effects are not suitable in all cases. Psychology has a unique effect every case case. And does not adapt at one’s convenience. Do you know the effect of simple contrast? This Effect is in collusion with the former effect. The effect of simple contrast means, often see, often meet, become fond. If this effect were suitable in every situation, why do we have the word ‘Divorce’?

In that case , the effect is just phenomenon. Before your situation conforms to this effect, you should check the effect against your case and avoid having vague expectations.