The nocebo effect

The nocebo effect

Published 05.04.2024 | By Йосиф

The nocebo effect: how negative expectations can affect your health

The latest research examines the connection between words and human health, explaining how negative expectations can exacerbate or even cause negative health outcomes.

The new book, The Nocebo Effect: How Words Make You Sick, explores the other side of the well-known placebo effect, which can improve health even when medications or treatments fail to provide benefit.

“It’s the idea that words actually matter,” explained the book’s lead author, researcher at the Department of Women’s and Children’s Health at Uppsala University Charlotte Blease. “It’s amazing how the way we communicate can affect the outcome. Communication in healthcare may be more important than patients realize.”

The nocebo effect suggests that negative expectations can lead to poor health and even cause negative consequences. Although this concept has been documented historically, it has come to the fore again during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the book, the researchers provide examples of how negative words used by medical professionals and so-called experts can lead to delayed recovery and overall negative health consequences.

One of the studies reviewed in the book looked at the negative symptoms and outcomes reported by patients who received COVID-19 vaccines. Surprisingly, a large percentage of those who received the “fake” vaccine reported symptoms including nausea and headaches.

The book’s authors suggest that “up to three-quarters of reported coronavirus vaccine side effects” could be strong evidence of a nocebo effect.

“Whether this is related to expectancy (the nocebo effect) remains to be seen,” Bleese explains of the study findings. “However, it is curious that so many participants reported side effects after not receiving the vaccine.”

Although more research will be needed to determine the actual cause of the reported symptoms, the researchers say this is strong evidence that the nocebo effect is real.

Understanding the nocebo effect can help improve treatment outcomes and overall health.

https://nashaplaneta.su/blog/ehffekt_nocebo_kak_negativnye_ozhidanija_mogut_povlijat_na_zdorove/2024-03-24-56527

P.S. Another proof that medicine has no interest in having healthy people – that’s why it scares people regularly on TV. Yosif Yorgov