I'd agree that artificial sweeteners are in effect fooling yourself. However, for those of us who grew up eating and enjoying sweets, I think they are necessary at least in the interim, as a means of having a cheat without actually cheating.

I am finding that as I progress, I need those fake cheats less and less. But I also think I'll never completely rid myself of the urge to have something sweet.

As for their safety, no I don't really trust the companies nor the FDA. But the human experiment has been going on for quite awhile now for many of these sweeteners, and so far so good.