In today’s episode of “Our Mind is Playing Tricks on Us,” we have a discussion about placebos! Believe it or not, our minds can trick us into believing that a fake treatment has a real effect on us, which is commonly known as the placebo effect. In certain situations, placebo meds can easily exert an influence that’s powerful enough to mimic the effects of real medications.
In this specific phenomenon, some people might experience a positive change in their bodies after the administration of an inactive treatment that resembles a real one. The placebo pill has no effect whatsoever, and it might come in the form of a pill, injection, or even consumable liquid. In the majority of cases, the person isn’t aware that the treatment received is actually a placebo.
In fact, the person believes that’s the real treatment. The placebo is made to seem just like the real treatment, but the substance doesn’t have any effect on the condition it is meant to treat. The placebo effect is way more than just positive thinking.
When it takes place, no one knows that they are basically responding to a sugar pill. Placebos are mainly used in medical research by doctors and scientists. By using a fake sugar pill, they oftentimes have a better understanding of the physiological and psychological effects of brand-new medications. Here’s how to tell if your doctor might trick you into taking a fake placebo:
