Comments on: What Is the Nocebo Effect?

By: Addiction Myth

Addiction Myth — Sun, 12 Aug 2012 00:58:17 +0000

I wonder if the nocebo effect can explain drug addiction. We are told as children: sometimes if people take drugs, they find that they are unable to stop. So, some kids take drugs and find that they are unable to stop – addiction.

I’m not saying that addiction is entirely fictional, but I think in many cases it is — attention seeking behavior.

By: jan

jan — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 23:30:30 +0000

I wonder if telling people they might experience something makes them more likely to feel like it’s okay to admit to it — rather than makes them more likely to experience it. If you’re having erectile dysfunction, maybe you don’t want to talk about it, or maybe it doesn’t occur to you that it’s related to the drug. I could be wrong; certainly not everybody is as reluctant to bring things up with a doctor as I am. But sometimes, if my doctor asks about something, it opens up the door for me.

By: johnny sparks

johnny sparks — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 04:13:48 +0000

Blind,, double blind,, deft dumb and blind,,,why does it take western medicine so long to see things? This is not the first time “Faith” seems to play it’s card,,,, which ever card it is,,, the sick or the well card,,,,,, this has been understood for thousands of years. where do you find these blind ass DR’s and what editor chose this as news? Filter that.

By: Ivona Poyntz

Ivona Poyntz — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 10:44:02 +0000

Its interesting how the ethical dilemma of keeping patients informed vs. limiting their discomfort levels will be resolved.

By: Ellie

Ellie — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 18:30:33 +0000

See, I always have the exact opposite problem. I sometimes tell doctors, “I know this medicine is having this side effect.” They say, “It could not possibly do that.” (Some doctors do not disclose any possible side effects.) Once, I was so sure that it had that side effect, so I looked it up online finally. Every single thing I reported was listed as the most common side effects on the official website of the drug.

Then, when I had surgery last month, the nurses kept insisting I shouldn’t be in pain when I was. That was one of the most frustrating thing ever!

By: Kathy

Kathy — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 16:29:27 +0000

This article makes me think about hypnotism.

Doesn’t the success of hypnotism hinge on the power of suggestion?

By: Kathy

Kathy — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 16:11:29 +0000

“Forty-four percent of the first group reported that they’d experienced ED, compared with just 15 percent of the uninformed group.”

The power of suggestion is pretty potent here. Maybe, some in the uninformed group were hiding the truth.

Doesn’t the success of hypnotism hinge on the power of suggestion?

By: Kathy

Kathy — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 16:08:19 +0000

“Forty-four percent of the first group reported that they’d experienced ED, compared with just 15 percent of the uninformed group.”

The power of suggestion is pretty potent here.
Or maybe, some in the uninformed group were hiding the truth.

Isn’t the power of suggestion behind the success of hypnotism?

By: Park Chapman

Park Chapman — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 14:41:38 +0000

The real story here is the power of the human mind. The end result can be good or bad, depending on the person’s attitude.

By: Susan Sladden

Susan Sladden — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 14:40:08 +0000

I have thought of this very action of which this article speaks of. I consciously prepare myself when a doctor does talk about possible side effects and is a procedure is going to be painful. I use mental imagery to block out as much pain as possible when undergoing anything painful. This study clearly is on the right track and more should be taken away from these studies. Young doctors and nurses need to be aware of how their language affects their patients.