The Power Of The Placebo Effect

For decades the placebo effect has astonished the world, leaving many wondering about its power. Its effects on the human mind cause the brain to make psychological and physical changes without administering any sort of real treatment. A placebo is a medically inert substance or technique administered like a drug. The mere thought that a treatment has been received causes a beneficial physical response (Pinch, 2016). In many recent studies, scientists have discovered the power of a placebo and how it affects the human brain. Although the placebo effect has its limitations, its incredible power has the potential to make a difference in many people’s lives.
The placebo effect has been used by doctors around the world for centuries. The word …show more content…
We have expectations; we have previous experience; we have non-conscious awareness. We're in a medical environment, and we're used to that environment producing beneficial results (Research Shows, 2013). Many experiences of pain usually fall in line with the expectation of pain. These expectations can be manipulated by verbal information, such as, “this will be less painful.” Although extremely effective, this placebo effect eventually diminishes with repetition (Madden, 2016). The recent studies on the placebo effect have helped reveal the true power of the human brain, which will hopefully open the door to many opportunities to harness this power in the medical …show more content…
Maybe it’s in the patients’ minds, or the patients are just recovering on their own over time. While it’s true that a big part of the placebo effect takes place in the minds of patients, the physical and chemical changes are evident. The many experiments performed have shown that although not all people are affected by the placebo effect, the ones that are show significant changes in how they feel. A patient with an optimistic attitude and great expectations is much more susceptible to a placebo than a depressed patient expecting the worst of a treatment. Studies have found that many patients respond positively to placebos, yet there are some who respond negatively. This concept is called the nocebo effect. Just as with a placebo, expectation is one of the biggest contributing factors in the nocebo effect. Patients’ negative associations or low expectations of a drug or treatment consequently have a negative effect on them. This is another testimony of the power of expectation. Doctors and patients see real changes and results when a placebo is used, and although it’s not completely consistent it’s well worth