I swear there is a word for thinking something when its really just your mind pretending it.
i.e You are sick and have an Advil and immediately feel better. (Even though it might not have kicked in yet.)
English Language & Usage Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts. It only takes a minute to sign up.
Sign up to join this communityI think you are looking for the expression placebo effect:
- improvement in the condition of a patient that occurs in response to treatment but cannot be considered due to the specific treatment used.
(M-W)