Why placebos work

The fact that placebos are actually effective in treating the symptoms of a disease and are a necessary part of clinical trials when testing an experimental drug says a lot about our brain’s ability to heal our own body.

According to Professor Ted Kaptchuk, a researcher on the placebo effect at Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, “The placebo effect is more than positive thinking (...) It’s about creating a stronger connection between the brain and body and how they work together.”

While placebos cannot directly cure a disease, they have shown to be effective in managing some symptoms such as pain, stress, fatigue, or nausea. The study of such evidence has led experts to conclude that the fact that our bodies react to a placebo is simply proof that non-pharmacological mechanisms are present in the resolution of certain symptoms.

Such non-pharmacological mechanisms involve a series of complex neurobiological reactions, including the increase in neurotransmitters, like endorphins, which act on the opiate receptors in our brains and can reduce pain and boost pleasure.

In the placebo effect, other cognitive-behavioral interactions also intervene, which are explained by the psychology of ritual. Taking a pill, going to a medical office, being seen and checked by a health professional, all of these actions we associate with receiving medical treatment contribute in the belief of being under care, both consciously and subconsciously, providing a “false sense of control” that results in an increase in dopamine and the reduction of stress, because we have previously been rewarded with feeling better after doing these actions.

There’s no question that the placebo effect has always been a fascinating phenomenon, with very interesting implications even beyond the medical field. In sum, the activation of an expectancy about the efficacy of a product or action can help manage a great part of the negative symptoms we seek to resolve, by simply reducing our stress hormones and increasing our feel-good neurotransmitters.

Such chemical changes will not only make us feel better by themselves, but will also set a more suitable environment for our bodies to take charge of other healing processes. Pretty neat, huh?

-Kristal Pastor

B.S. in Psychology - Universidad Intercontinental, Mexico

Diploma in Neuromarketing and Market Intelligence - Universidad Anahuac, Mexico

Diploma in Comprehension and Intervention of the Elderly in the 21st century - Universidad Intercontinental, Mexico

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Para leer este blog en español, visita Hackeando la vida con psicología