An Investigation of the Placebo Effect in Managing Depression Cases

This essay delves into the controversial yet significant role of the placebo effect in treating depression and anxiety. It begins by defining the placebo effect and its implications in the medical field, highlighting the debate surrounding its effectiveness compared to traditional medications. The essay then analyzes the use of placebo pills, such as sugar pills, and supportive care in treating anxiety and depression, contrasting them with the use of antidepressants. It explores the psychological aspects of the placebo effect, emphasizing how a patient's perception and beliefs can influence treatment outcomes, often leading to similar results as minor medications. The discussion covers meta-analysis findings comparing placebo responses to antidepressant effects and examines how the placebo effect is not based on double-blind methods, but rather on the doctor's assessment of the patient's ability to respond. The essay concludes by emphasizing the potential of the placebo effect as a valid and extensive field in psychological treatment, particularly in providing security from the side effects of active medicine. The student's essay leverages the provided research and provides a well-structured analysis of the subject matter.

Running Head: PLACEBO EFFECT AND DEPRESSION
Placebo Effect and Depression
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s Note:

1PLACEBO EFFECT AND DEPRESSION
Table of Contents
Introduction............................................................................................................................................1
Discussion..............................................................................................................................................2
Conclusion..............................................................................................................................................3
References..............................................................................................................................................3

2PLACEBO EFFECT AND DEPRESSION
Introduction
Placebo effect is the concept used to define the use of substance or action which does
not have any substantial worth but is used to administer psychological effect of being treated.
The placebo effect and response is one of the most controversial subject in the medical field
as various meta-analysis have established that the use of placebo shows very nearly the same
result as minor medications. Due to the fact that the concept depends completely on the
psychological perception of an individual, there has been numerous studies assessing the use
and the result of placebo in psychological complications. In this paper I will analyze the
placebo effect and response on people with anxiety and depression. According to Kirsch, the
placebo effect and response in patient and the effect of antidepressant is almost similar
(Kirsch, 2016). I will analyze the use of placebo pills in case of anxiety and depression
patient along with supportive care in comparison to anti-depressant and supportive care.
Discussion
The use of placebo medicines such as sugar pills and distilled water has been used in
the field of medicine in many aspects to check the role of the psychological involvement of
the patient suffering from psychological diseases which show vast opportunity to limit the
intake of medicine which though have positive effect but is not completely devoid of side-
effects. The study is based on the fact that anti-depressant medicines helps the patient’s brain
to produce the chemical substance serotonin which induces a calming effect in the person
(Hengartner, 2019). The use of placebo has been shown to be dependent on the information
which are provided to the patients. The meta-analysis by Kirsch shows that the comparison
report of the anti-depressant which are most commonly prescribed and has been approved by
the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), produces the same or almost similar to the placebo
response and they are even close to the results given by the use of medicine (Kirsch, 2019).

3PLACEBO EFFECT AND DEPRESSION
The placebo effect and response has been proven to be directly proportional and
contrary to the popular belief is not based on double blindness method. The doctor’s
themselves are aware of the use of the placebo pills when they assess that the patient’s brain
can register and induce the symptoms of response, they tend to avoid prescribing active drugs
which bears along health risks. The individuals dealing with anxiety tend to be effected by
their interior process of thinking more than the external agents, here placebo response is
better than medicines as their brain register the use of an outer commodity and produce
serotonin which gives the calming effect by itself (Zilcha-Mano et al., 2019). The patients
who have been accustomed to the use of anti-depressant has also shown the tendency of early
relapse whereas due to the fact that in the placebo effect no external entity was used, the body
adjusts better and the relapse rate is much better.
Conclusion
Placebo effect and response could be a valid as well as an extensive field when it
comes to psychological use of placebo drugs in case of depression and anxiety. Due to the
fact that the effect of the treatment is dependent on the patient’s awareness and unawareness,
the medical field can sought the permission of the family member as this method provides for
the security from the side effects of the active medicine.

4PLACEBO EFFECT AND DEPRESSION
References
Hengartner, M. P. (2019). Is there a genuine placebo effect in acute depression treatments? A
reassessment of regression to the mean and spontaneous remission. BMJ evidence-
based medicine, bmjebm-2019.
Kirsch, I. (2016). The placebo effect in the treatment of
depression. Verhaltenstherapie, 26(1), 55-61.
Kirsch, I. (2019). The Placebo Effect in the Treatment of Depression and Anxiety. Frontiers
in psychiatry, 10, 407.
Zilcha-Mano, S., Roose, S. P., Brown, P. J., & Rutherford, B. R. (2018). A machine learning
approach to identifying placebo responders in late-life depression trials. The
American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 26(6), 669-677.