Illusion of treatment

The illusion of treatment refers to the phenomenon where people experience real improvements in their condition simply because they believe they are receiving effective treatment, even if the treatment itself has no active ingredients or therapeutic value. This effect highlights how expectations and belief in a treatment can influence perceived or actual health outcomes, separate from the actual intervention. It underscores the importance of rigorous testing, such as clinical trials, to determine whether a treatment works beyond just the placebo effect.