Even if Homeopathy is a Hoax, How Does it Matter?
There’s obviously something that works and the world is oblivious to it
‘’Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who has said, not even if I have said it unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.’’
— Buddha
In India, you will find two types of people. One firmly believes in homeopathy while the other thinks of it as nothing but a hoax. I have met both types and both had strong logic to support their beliefs.
Now if you’re wondering which type am I? Then you will know that very soon. Soon before your child graduates or gets married or has a kid. Do you see where I’m going?
Okay, sorry. Let’s get serious.
I was watching an episode from The Big Bang Theory where Amy tries to distract Sheldon by asking him to accompany her to the homeopathic medicine section in the mall so that he could mock the people for their choice.
And that was exactly a replica of what happens in my home country.
There are some people who are totally against allopathic medicines as they believe they have more side effects than effectiveness and that they never solve the root cause of any disease but just help to get rid of the visible symptoms.
While others believe that homeopathy, though takes a lot of time, aims for the disease at its very root and flushes it out of the system forever. This ensures that there is no relapse and all this without any side effects.
Also, if you compare both the medicines economically, the allelopathy manufacturing companies are often accused of making costly medicines to fool the customers while the homeopathy is far more affordable. But the counter-argument is that allopathic medicines are quick to act before the symptoms worsen in the patient.
Now you may have certain questions to ask.
Which side should you choose?
Who should you believe?
Should you believe in both homeopathy and allopathy?
Or pick just one of them and stay loyal to it for life?
The Psychology
If you believe that homeopathy is a hoax, then it’s absolutely fine. But, what about the millions of people who consume homeopathic pills for years and get their illness resolved forever.
Do you think it could be the Placebo effect that’s at work here?
Think about this.
In India, there are many Ashram-style healing centers where you will find people from all walks of life seeking treatment for their life-threatening illnesses.
It is said that these Ashrams put up a show to lure people. A show to make people believe that hundreds of patients had come to their Ashram when even the best of the doctors had given up on them but the healing centers with their magic potions did the trick that no one could.
As you would expect, rich and affluent people visit these Ashrams for obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and so on. And what’s surprising is they even heal completely by the time they come back.
And these were not the fake patients used to put up a show. These were the real patients with real problems.
Then what was it that helped them heal when their conditions were untreatable?
I would say — belief.
When you reach a stage where nothing works in your favor, fear takes over your entire system. You’re desperate to try anything even if you didn’t believe in it earlier.
When people see other people getting healed, they see a ray of hope. They want to believe that the next success story will be theirs. And that’s exactly what happens.
Remember, as a child when you coaxed your mom to give you some medicine even when you were not ill, and your mom just slipped tic-tac-toe in your mouth explaining how effective that medicine was, and surprisingly you even got better with that so-called medicine.
That’s because you believed in that candy presented to you as medicine.
You believed that the medicine would work because it was coming from the most trustworthy source in this world and that’s your mother.
My Take on This
I believe, that if the Placebo effect is the real cause behind homeopathic medicines then be it.
What is the ultimate goal after all? Getting treated right?
And if one is achieving it, that too at an affordable price and without any side effects, then good for you.
And always remember this popular phrase if you’re too confused about which way to go,
It’s all in your mind. :P
Bhavna Narula, 2021. All rights reserved. Thank you so much for reading. :)