I’ve been fortunate not to have needed prescription medication many times in my life, and not at all in the last few years, until today.

What I found interesting was that the main thing I felt when I took it today wasn’t relief from symptoms.

It was a restored sense of control over myself.

I often find it difficult when something is significantly affecting me in an uncomfortable way but is completely out of my control, and that was exactly how I was feeling about these symptoms.

So as soon as there was this process of take this tablet -> feel better, what felt “better” about it more than anything was the feeling of control and autonomy it restored to my life¹.

1. I wonder whether something about this is why placebos are effective, too… ↩