this post was submitted on 08 Aug 2023
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Not how it works though. It might alleviate pain and improve your perception of your well-being, but it won't heal you
Nope, the placebo effect can have physical effects and be genuinely curative. The level to which this is the case is highly variable from patient to patient, but it is inaccurate to say that is limited to improving sensation and perception of illness. Not to mention, in many cases the malady being treated is one of perception, for example, in pain management. And alleviating pain in itself has downstream positive effects on disease progression and patient QOL.
My random conjure if anyone cares:
I see it like many 'real' medicines that alleviate symptoms. Sometimes the symptoms are the ones causing the issues, EX. a fever to kill germs can kill braincells. But like any medicine that alleviates symptoms, it can also hide problems. So I see it as a case by case thing.