Sunday, October 25, 2009
Ignorance as a Placebo
Placebos are something that have always intrigued me. It seems our brain can make us feel better when it expects that it should. The Placebo Effect has even gotten more powerful as real drugs have gotten more effective. Not only that, but the improvement from fake pills can be different based on what the person thinks they are taking. If we feel better after taking a sugar pill that we think is real, then maybe we feel less sick if we don't know we're sick. Can ignorance itself be a placebo? If so, maybe this explains why so many people fear going to the doctor. Bad health news may actually create bad health. Anyone with a better understanding of science help me out?
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Another excellent post.
ReplyDeleteBased on what I would know, I would say yes that not knowing you are sick would make you feel less sick. Similarly, going to the doctor and being told that there is nothing wrong with you (even if there was) would make you feel even better.
Affirmations are powerful things. If we can make ourselves believe something, it is more likely to come true.