Eli5: How do placebos’ trick our brain into thinking they do something? How do we eventually get healed if the placebo didn’t do anything in the first place?

Question

Eli5: How do placebos’ trick our brain into thinking they do something? How do we eventually get healed if the placebo didn’t do anything in the first place?

In: Other

Answer 1

Knowing that you’ve taken medication to cure an illness removes (at least some of) the stress of having the illness. Stress is generally unhealthy for the body and your immune system so taking it away aids recovery.