Are they miracle pills? in theory they should’t have any affect on us what so ever. Placebos can come in any shape or size and they contain no active ingredient but rather are a medically ineffectual treatment for a disease or other medical condition intended to deceive the recipient. Typically in medical research, placebos are given as control treatments and depend on the use of measured suggestion. This being said however, they have been shown to be beneficial when treating pain, depression and have been seen to even alleviate some of the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
In this episode of BBC’s Horizon we explore why they work, and how we could all benefit from the hidden power of the placebo.
I find it very interesting to learn more about the power of the mind. So much is fabricated in the mind. A notable simile from the Buddha is the simile of the two arrows. The first arrow is the event, the illness, the injury that happens beyond one’s control. The second arrow is the one which comes from the mind; the mental story that makes one suffer. The first is inevitable, the second is optional.