The Placebo Effect
Introduction
A placebo is a substance or treatment designed to have no therapeutic value.
- In drug testing and medical research, placebos are made to resemble active medications or therapies so that they can be used as controls.
The placebo effect is a fascinating and least understood phenomenon in which a sham medical intervention (e.g. sugar pills or saline injections) causes improvements in a patient's condition due to the patient's perception of the intervention.
- Notably, even proven effective treatments can generate a placebo effect.
Psychological Mechanisms
Two hypothesized psychological mechanisms that are known to mediate the placebo effect are
- Classical conditioning
- The association between a stimulus and a response is remembered, affecting future experiences.
- Expectancy
- This is the belief that a certain outcome will occur.
To Elicit Placebo Effects
Barrett et. al. suggest a list of 8 specific and practical principles that doctors can use to elicit placebo effects in their patients for improved outcomes.
- Speaking positively about treatments
- Providing encouragement
- Developing trust
- Providing reassurance
- Supporting relationships
- Respecting uniqueness
- Exploring values
- Creating ceremony
Nocebo Effect
The term nocebo, derived from the Latin "nocere" meaning harm, is commonly used when a negative outcome results from a placebo.
- This expectation of negative effects may be triggered when a patient is told which adverse effects they might experience before starting treatment.
Summary
Belief in a treatment (the state of mind) may be enough to change the course of a person's physical illness.
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