Non believers... Could God be a placebo?

I was thinking about that earlier, it seems to me that someone may very well be depressed and on the verge of hurting themselves or someone else... but then they think God finds them and then they start to live a wonderful life... now we know it has nothing to do with God for he is not real... but could the thought that he has found the mislead lead someone to a better life... I have from experience seen a born again Christian become the complete opposite of what he was before he "found" God... he used to hate everyone, kids especially and kill animals for fun... then he apparently found God somewhere on a camping trip... he now loves all and refuses to harm anyone or anything even insects... could it be that God can be a placebo?