Of late, if you are following the YouTube news channels then you must be well aware how the once acclaimed therapist from Nagaland fell from the glory, basically through the receipts.
The matter is still under investigation and the judgement is yet to be pronounced. But, the purpose of this post is not to give the therapist, his 'Catch Me If You Can' moment. This post is to reflect on the gullibility of we, Nagas and why we fall prey even if we are, well, not that dumb.
There can be several factors but to me there are 3 possible reasons why our people fall for such questionable therapist/ health practitioners:
Lack of Health Literacy/Ignorance: Because a lack of understanding about medical science, disease processes, and what constitutes valid medical qualifications can make individuals susceptible to the misleading claims of quacks. They may not be able to differentiate between evidence-based medicine and pseudoscience
Hope and Belief: Because the human desire for hope is powerful. Quacks often exploit this by making exaggerated claims of miraculous healing and providing a narrative that appeals to belief systems, sometimes even incorporating religious or spiritual elements. The placebo effect also plays a significant role, where a patient's belief in a treatment, even an inert one, can lead to perceived improvement in symptoms.
Aggressive Marketing: Because quacks often engage in aggressive and misleading advertising, making grand claims that prey on vulnerable groups, such as those with chronic illnesses, weight concerns, or mental health issues.
I know for us one take away from this incident will be, don't trust anyone blindly, specially when it's a matter of our health and overall well-being. Let me end by quoting the famous lines, "Savdhan rahe satark rahe! "
