Categoría: Medication,Psyquiatry
Etiquetas: medication, mind and body, side effects, treatments
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You probably know what the placebo effect is, but did you know that there is an even more powerful phenomenon, the nocebo effect?
Placebo effect occurs when a person experiences an improvement in their condition simply because they believe they are receiving a treatment, even though it is actually a substance with no therapeutic effect. The mind has incredible power to influence our health, and positive expectations can trigger real physiological responses in the body.
Nocebo effect: occurs when a person’s negative expectations cause adverse effects. Evolutionarily, nocebos tend to be stronger than placebos. For example, if a patient learns about possible side effects of a medicine, such as nausea or pain, they may start to experience these symptoms even if they are only taking a placebo. This is why I always advise against reading package leaflets in particularly anxious patients!
These phenomena remind us of the powerful connection between mind and body, and how our expectations can influence our health.