The Power of Placebo and How To Use it for Your Own Healing
Source: @sincerlyjules
"Placebo" has gotten a bad rap these days. We use the word when referring to being tricked into shelling out $$$ on trendy wellness supplements, to define the "period week" of birth control pills (AKA the "sugar pills"), and why we feel better after only one Advil (c'mon. Everybody knows taking one Advil is like having just one bite of cake...scientifically speaking, it does nothing). We say, "maybe it's just the placebo effect, but [insert symptom here] feels better," as if it the mind could be falling victim to trickery, and that would mean the supplement is not, in fact, successful.
However, the word "placebo" actually means something that is prescribed for psychological effects, rather than physiological ones. It's not a failed drug; it's proof of how powerful the mind is. Plus, as long as you feel better, it's a success. Who cares why? The placebo effect proves that the mind has the power to heal the body like a prescribed treatment or any drug on the market. New studies are even suggesting the mind is critical to the success of doctor's prescriptions and treatments, or perhaps could even replace them. However, healing your body with your mind is more than just positive thinking. Instead, it's about bridging the gap between the mind and body. Here's how to tap into your built-in medicine cabinet and start using the placebo effect to heal your body, totally prescription-free:
1. Add in a treatment ritual.
The placebo effect doesn't show that just sending positive vibes to a wound will make it hurt less. Instead, you need a ritual or act that communicates to the brain. For example, the simple act of taking a pill has been shown to stimulate the brain into thinking the body is being healed, even when the people on trial know it's not medication. So to add in rituals of treatment that signal to the brain that the body is being healed, try to simply build healthier habits. Eat healthier, meditate more, and get a lot of sleep. When you're consistently partaking in healing rituals on a regular basis, the mind knows that you're giving your body what it needs to be healthy.
2. Be intentional when taking any supplements or prescriptions.
Whether it's a prescription like oral birth control to alleviate cramps or a probiotic to soothe digestion discomfort, don't take anything mindlessly. Instead, be thoughtful about what the supplements are going to do for you. Do your research behind ingredients so you know exactly what the benefits are, visualize the supplement taking away symptoms, or even talk to them before you take them by saying, "You're going to do a great job." Yes, that last one is pretty eccentric, but it might click in your brain that whatever you're taking will help. The same goes with the food you eat. Get to know what nutrients and foods do for your body so you're expecting more energy, clearer skin, or happier mood, based on what you eat.
3. Believe you're going to get better.
While we often feel discouraged that we'll never stop feeling a certain symptom, or worst-case-scenarios pop up when dealing with any kind of illness or health scare, this kind of thinking is actually decreasing our ability to heal. Besides just the damaging effect that stress has on the body, believing things will turn out fine actually helps the body heal. When we're in a non-stressful state, the body goes into repair mode, meaning it can fix symptoms simply because that's what it's meant to do when given the chance.
4. Find the right care team for you.
Studies have shown that the doctor's belief systems (and how they express it to the patient) can actually help improve symptoms. This is not just coincidence or wishful thinking; it's an example that not only can the mind heal the body when we believe we're going to get better, but when the people who are helping us get better believe we will too. Since doctors often go off of studies and probability based on past patients (not based on each individual patient), having someone like a health coach can be crucial in a healing journey (yes, I slid a subtle brag/self-advertisement in there, but there's a reason I chose this career path). No matter whether your care team consists of your primary care doctor, a health coach, a therapist, a gynecologist, or your mom, make sure that you're putting your health into the hands of people who say, "you will get over this," and "we will find a fix."
5. Have a purpose.
Multiple studies have found that patients with high spiritual faith had a longer survival rate or greater chance for healing, even with more serious conditions like lung cancer. The lesson here is not that you have to join an organized religion, but instead, to have faith that you're being guided and guarded by something greater, and to find a reason to heal. You need to have a concrete reason to want to get better, whether it's having more energy to achieve your goals or spending more time with the people you love. I always tell clients that going to the gym more to lose weight is not a good enough goal to be successful. Why do you want to lose weight? Find reasons that have nothing to do with the way you look, and that's the purpose. The opportunity to live your life in the way that's most fulfilling and meaningful to you is physically healing.
Have you ever witnessed the power of placebo?
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