Do crystals you buy online actually work?

There's no real proven physical properties to crystals, so it's probably just the placebo effect if you felt a change. That said, if it helped you psychologically during a tough time, that's not nothing - it's just that the useful part wasn't the crystal itself but more that you were giving yourself some attention. On Etsy there's everything, some serious sellers and others who totally hype things up, but at least you've got a nice amethyst on your table now, so you didn't waste your money for nothing. If you're really looking for a boost when things are rough, you're better off with a good bike ride or talking to someone honest.

the thing nobody's gonna tell you is that on etsy half the sellers are just dropshipping from chinese sites and marking it up by 5x. you're paying 45 bucks for something that costs 8 euros delivered for real. so already on quality and authenticity, you gotta check that stuff before you throw money at it. i've been shipping all over france for 17 years and i see exactly the same pattern with crystals as with the packages we get in stores - it's often not what you think you're paying for

anyway for your actual question, placebo effect is no joke. if you were going through a rough time and felt better, it's not stupid to tell yourself it helped you. the brain is powerful. but admit that it's more you doing the psychological work, not the stone. it's fine though, nothing wrong with finding comfort wherever you want, as long as you're not dropping millions on it

the practical hack: if you want crystals, order from local mineralogists or actual physical shops. you'll usually get a better price and can check what you're getting before you pay. etsy is a trap for this specific thing

Personally I have a bunch at home but honestly it's more for the aesthetic vibe in my displays. What I find interesting about online shopping is that you really have to check where the seller is from and read the reviews in detail, because yeah a lot of them offer generic stuff at premium prices. But if amethysts helped you psychologically during a rough period, that's already something valid in itself, regardless of whether it's placebo or not - it's your money and your wellbeing, so you're the one who decides if it was worth it. But in my opinion before you spend money again, you could try local crystals at a mineralogist's or a museum, just to see if you actually like them or if it was just the period that made you want to look for solutions.

You're right to be skeptical, but honestly between us it's really the context that matters. If you were going through a rough patch and you treated yourself to something small, it maybe just had a calming effect on your head, no need to invoke crystal energy to explain that. On Etsy you really find everything, some nice stuff and Chinese reselling marked up five times higher, so yeah quality is a total gamble. I'm saying if it didn't break the bank and it made you feel a bit better at that moment, that's already a win.