I assume most people know what the placebo effect is.
Here is a definition of the nocebo effect.
A nocebo effect is said to occur when negative expectations of the patient regarding a treatment cause the treatment to have a more negative effect than it otherwise would have. For example, when a patient anticipates a side effect of a medication, they can experience that effect even if the "medication" is actually an inert substance. The complementary concept, the placebo effect, is said to occur when positive expectations improve an outcome. The effect is also said to occur in someone who falls ill owing to the erroneous belief that he was exposed to a toxin, or to a physical phenomenon he believes is harmful, such as EM radiation.
Both placebo and nocebo effects are presumably psychogenic, but they can induce measurable changes in the body. One article that reviewed 31 studies on nocebo effects reported a wide range of symptoms that could manifest as nocebo effects, including nausea, stomach pains, itching, bloating, depression, sleep problems, loss of appetite, sexual dysfunction, and severe hypotension.
I can remember one experience. I took for a long time a mood stabilizer. I wanted to stop it because it caused weight gain. When I wanted to stop it the first time I panicked extremely. I was so extremely anxious. And after a short time I was acute suicidal. I felt terribly depressed. Not exactly sure why. Maybe I rushed it too fast. I also pressured me extremely in order that I succeed with my stop of taking the medication.
This is now roundabout 1,5 years ago. I took the medication again because I felt really bad.
A half year later I tried again to stop the medication. I tried to stay calm and not stressing me too much. I succeeded with my attempt to stop the medication. Without getting extremely depressed and suicidal.
This evoked many questions. Why did I fail the first time? Was this all a psychogentic effect based on overthinking, ruminating and other autosuggestions. Or was the reason that I took more time in order to reduce the medication. I think both is probably the answer but I will never know the truth.
And I don't want to equate mental health medication with homeopathy with this thread. My life was an extreme nightmare without antipsychotics and other medication. They stabilize me. But to that time I took four different medication and we were not sure which effect the mood stabilizer really had. I am glad I chose to take medication after a long time when I oppossed them. My life quality improved a lot at least for now.
Honestly I think I overestimate(d) me a little bit too much before that incident. I considered myself as too rational and calculated to fall for such an autosuggestion. But I am not sure after this experience. Autosuggestions can indeed be really powerful and in fact as in this article which I quoted the effects can even be measured.
Here is a definition of the nocebo effect.
A nocebo effect is said to occur when negative expectations of the patient regarding a treatment cause the treatment to have a more negative effect than it otherwise would have. For example, when a patient anticipates a side effect of a medication, they can experience that effect even if the "medication" is actually an inert substance. The complementary concept, the placebo effect, is said to occur when positive expectations improve an outcome. The effect is also said to occur in someone who falls ill owing to the erroneous belief that he was exposed to a toxin, or to a physical phenomenon he believes is harmful, such as EM radiation.
Both placebo and nocebo effects are presumably psychogenic, but they can induce measurable changes in the body. One article that reviewed 31 studies on nocebo effects reported a wide range of symptoms that could manifest as nocebo effects, including nausea, stomach pains, itching, bloating, depression, sleep problems, loss of appetite, sexual dysfunction, and severe hypotension.
I can remember one experience. I took for a long time a mood stabilizer. I wanted to stop it because it caused weight gain. When I wanted to stop it the first time I panicked extremely. I was so extremely anxious. And after a short time I was acute suicidal. I felt terribly depressed. Not exactly sure why. Maybe I rushed it too fast. I also pressured me extremely in order that I succeed with my stop of taking the medication.
This is now roundabout 1,5 years ago. I took the medication again because I felt really bad.
A half year later I tried again to stop the medication. I tried to stay calm and not stressing me too much. I succeeded with my attempt to stop the medication. Without getting extremely depressed and suicidal.
This evoked many questions. Why did I fail the first time? Was this all a psychogentic effect based on overthinking, ruminating and other autosuggestions. Or was the reason that I took more time in order to reduce the medication. I think both is probably the answer but I will never know the truth.
And I don't want to equate mental health medication with homeopathy with this thread. My life was an extreme nightmare without antipsychotics and other medication. They stabilize me. But to that time I took four different medication and we were not sure which effect the mood stabilizer really had. I am glad I chose to take medication after a long time when I oppossed them. My life quality improved a lot at least for now.
Honestly I think I overestimate(d) me a little bit too much before that incident. I considered myself as too rational and calculated to fall for such an autosuggestion. But I am not sure after this experience. Autosuggestions can indeed be really powerful and in fact as in this article which I quoted the effects can even be measured.
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