The placebo effect is a psychological phenomenon which happens when we believe in the beneficial effect of things and objects that, realistically, do not have it. The influence of the placebo and the placebo effect is usually connected with medicine, but it can be found everywhere around us in our daily lives, e.g. if placebo didn't exist, neither would marketing.
A couple of these interesting facts will reveal the omnipresence of this intriguing phenomenon.
In Latin, the term "placebo” literally means "it pleases” (lat. placere = to please, to be liked). Placebo is defined as a "suggestive drug” which is not efficient and harmless. Its efficiency exclusively depends on the strength of self-suggestion of each individual person. Its application has been used since 1785 when this term was first used in a medical dictionary as an – ordinary method or drug.
Since each treatment is accompanied by a placebo effect, the effects that are assigned to drugs vary among patients as well as doctors. A patient who has a positive opinion about doctors, nurses and hospitals is prone to have a more positive reply to placebo and on an active drug, in comparison to a patient who has a negative attitude and will more likely deny the beneficial effects of the same drug or will develop side-effects. A positive effect is more likely when both the patient and doctor believe that an intervention will be beneficial. The placebo effect is being observed during each treatment in medicine (e.g. pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy or in surgery) as well as in alternative medicine. The placebo effect is sometimes as strong as certain pharmacological effects of a medicinal substance (i.e. a drug).
There are two factors that have a crucial impact on the placebo effect. The first is, certainly, an optimistic attitude which is also referred to as suggestibility, faith, hope or optimism. The very belief that you are taking a medicinal substance brings improvement. The second is a spontaneous change, which can often be even more important. Namely, spontaneous improvements are often perceived without any treatment. If such a spontaneous improvement appears after applying the placebo (a non-effective substance), it is understandable that the merit for one's betterment will be attributed to the placebo, as inappropriate as it may seem.
Generally, doctors are not fond of giving the placebo intentionally and secretly (opposed to clinical trials) because such "cheating” will disrupt the mutual trust they have built with their patients. However, despite their aversion to prescribe placebo, doctors sometimes meet patients who are completely convinced that they will forestall or suppress some illnesses by taking certain substances, although there is no scientific data to prove this viewpoint.
The reason lies in the fact that each drug has a placebo effect, i.e. good and bad effects which are independent from active chemical ingredients.
By David " Sensei" Stainko
Professor, Master of Kinesiology
Part 1