The Placebo Effect

The placebo effect is a therapy in which pharmacies and/or doctors influence patients to

believe they are being provided with medical care, when there  is barely anything done to
them at all. The most popular form of placebo is the sugar pill. These pills have basically no
effective ingredients towards the patients dis-ease. Other placebo effects are carried out by fake surgeries injections, and more.

A reason why the placebo therapy works is what patients expect the result to be. Seeing as he or she believes that whatever the doctor prescribes to them will help, they have no reason to worry, or have doubt. This treatment is more beneficial to people because is does not use medication;meaning that the person’s healing is somewhat natural. The placebo effect also proves that dis-ease is a mental belief, and can be cured by positive thinking.

In 1955, the “Powerful Placebo” took place, where H.K. Beecher conducted the therapy on 1,082 patients of different dis-eases, and 35% of them found the placebo to be successful.  Further studies show that it has worked on 50-60% of patients who feel pain, depression, gastric ulcers, heart ailments, and other stomach disorders find the placebo to be effective.  As helpful as placebos may be, many people feel duped and disapprove of the idea, and find it deceptive, harmful, and illegal.

In the story, “The Last Leaf” by O. Henry, There were two women named Sue and Johnsy, who were best friends and lived together. However Johnsy caught pneumonia that has been plaguing the town. So Johnsy came to an agreement with herself that when the last leaf of an ivy leaf outside her apartment building fell, she would pass away. Days and days of strong winds ands brutal rain had passed, and yet there was still a leaf outside. When Johnsy let go of her promise, Sue revealed to her that Mr. Behrman, a stubborn old man who claimed to have an artistic talent and wanted to paint a masterpiece, painted a picture of the last leaf on the ivy tree and placed it in the window, passing away days later.

This is a form of the placebo effect because Johnsy had her heart and mind set that she will go and the last leaf goes. As every leaf fell, she prepared for her departure from her body.  Had it been revealed that the last leaf fell before she gave up, she probably would have died, but since she only saw that one leaf there, she remained alive, and did not want to die yet. The Placebo effect can be provided by medical professionals, or simply by oneself and his/her thoughts.