--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The placebo effect has an evil twin known…" description: "\"“The placebo effect has an evil twin known as the nocebo effect. This is when the expectation of harm or pain becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy, even ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e50/christian-jarrett-192157_placebo-effect_the-placebo-effect-has-an-evil-twin-know_1757866.jpg" --- # The placebo effect has an evil twin known as the nocebo… ![“The placebo effect has an evil twin known as the nocebo effect. This is when the expectation of harm or pain becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy, even in the absence of any known physical effect. One candidate for the nocebo effect is the discomfort some people report experiencing after using…” quote by Christian Jarrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e50/christian-jarrett-192157_placebo-effect_the-placebo-effect-has-an-evil-twin-know_1757866.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e50/christian-jarrett-192157_placebo-effect_the-placebo-effect-has-an-evil-twin-know_1757866.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e50/christian-jarrett-192157_placebo-effect_the-placebo-effect-has-an-evil-twin-know_1757866.jpg) > ““The placebo effect has an evil twin known as the nocebo effect. This is when the expectation of harm or pain becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy, even in the absence of any known physical effect. One candidate for the nocebo effect is the discomfort some people report experiencing after using mobile phones. Scientists have failed to identify a physical cause, so it's possible the adverse effects are caused by negative beliefs about the technology.”” Christian Jarrett ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The nocebo effect shows expectations of harm can cause real symptoms, even without physical cause. **In simple terms:** Expecting harm can cause symptoms without a physical cause. Key Takeaway Be aware of negative expectations influencing health. Themes health psychology expectation placebo nocebo Mood cautious inquisitive Type scientific psychological When to use this quote - clinical trials - technology use - patient counseling - self‑care Key Concepts mind‑body interaction belief systems medical research Questions to Reflect On - How can we mitigate nocebo effects? - What role do beliefs play in symptom perception? A Different Perspective Expectations are not the only factor in health outcomes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Mobile Phone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mobile-phone/) [Placebo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/placebo/) [Placebo effect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/placebo-effect/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) ## Related quotes > [If the brain expects that a treatment will work, it sends healing chemicals into the bloodstream, which facilitates that. That's why the placebo effect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-h-lipton/if-the-brain-expects-that-a-treatment-will-work-it-sends-healing/) [Bruce H. Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-h-lipton/) > [“NOCEBO: Latin for "I will harm"; a negative placebo; physical manifestation of pessimism; self-fulfilling prophecy of disbelief. In the nocebo effect, a bad result…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-winokur/nocebo-latin-for-i-will-harm-a-negative-placebo-physical/) [Jon Winokur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-winokur/) > [Eventually it became clear that our emotions, attitudes, and thoughts profoundly affect our bodies, sometimes to the degree of life or death. Soon mind-body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-dossey/eventually-it-became-clear-that-our-emotions-attitudes-and-thoughts/) [Larry Dossey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-dossey/) > [The doctor-patient relationship is critical to the placebo effect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-kirsch/the-doctor-patient-relationship-is-critical-to-the-placebo-effect/) [Irving Kirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kirsch/) > [“Your mind is the most powerful thing in your control.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-r-holden-m-d/your-mind-is-the-most-powerful-thing-in-your-control/) Keith R. Holden M.D > [We have known about the placebo effect for many years. This is a remarkable effect - placebo can cure 30 percent in many cases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthieu-ricard/we-have-known-about-the-placebo-effect-for-many-years-this-is-a/) [Matthieu Ricard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/) > [I do a lot of research on the placebo effect, not just in depression but in irritable bowel syndrome, pain, arthritis of the knee,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-kirsch/i-do-a-lot-of-research-on-the-placebo-effect-not-just-in-depression/) [Irving Kirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kirsch/) > [“Whether we like it or not, we’re walking placebo and nocebo generators, able to create health miracles or disasters (usually without even realizing we’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-luckman/whether-we-like-it-or-not-we-re-walking-placebo-and-nocebo-generators/) [Sol Luckman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-luckman/) > [“Our feelings, thoughts, beliefs and even expectations act as filters through which our imaginations initiate the process of generating our particular experienced reality. These…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-luckman/our-feelings-thoughts-beliefs-and-even-expectations-act-as-filters/) [Sol Luckman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-luckman/) > [Only massage therapists seemed to be informed about trigger points and referred pain, and only exceptional individuals among them (in my own experience at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clair-davies/only-massage-therapists-seemed-to-be-informed-about-trigger-points/) Clair Davies > [“Imagine what we could accomplish if modern medicine combined the best that allopathic medicine has to offer, the Placebo Effect and the benefits of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paige-singleton/imagine-what-we-could-accomplish-if-modern-medicine-combined-the-best/) [Paige Singleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paige-singleton/) > [I often felt better as soon as I swallowed my vitamin C, long before it had time to take effect. Medical researchers call it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kat-duff/i-often-felt-better-as-soon-as-i-swallowed-my-vitamin-c-long-before/) Kat Duff > [The placebo effect is one of the most fascinating things in the whole of medicine. It's not just about taking a pill, and your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-goldacre/the-placebo-effect-is-one-of-the-most-fascinating-things-in-the-whole/) [Ben Goldacre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-goldacre/) > [In all technai or arts (medicine perhaps most of all), there is a self-exhilaration on the part of the practitioner (the intoxication of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-smith/in-all-technai-or-arts-medicine-perhaps-most-of-all-there-is-a-self/) [Kenny Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-smith/) > [I'll take transformational change any way it comes. One way to look at meditation is as a kind of intrapsychic technology that's been developed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/i-ll-take-transformational-change-any-way-it-comes-one-way-to-look-at/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) ## More Placebo quotes > [“Recognize that your attention is the most valuable thing you can ever own, and you alone have the ultimate power to choose where to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-luckman/recognize-that-your-attention-is-the-most-valuable-thing-you-can-ever/) [Sol Luckman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-luckman/) > [A man doesn't need a study to know if he's feeling amorous. There is no such thing as a placebo erection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kilham/a-man-doesn-t-need-a-study-to-know-if-he-s-feeling-amorous-there-is/) [Chris Kilham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kilham/) > [Eventually it became clear that our emotions, attitudes, and thoughts profoundly affect our bodies, sometimes to the degree of life or death. Soon mind-body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-dossey/eventually-it-became-clear-that-our-emotions-attitudes-and-thoughts/) [Larry Dossey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-dossey/) > [I find placebos uplifting and exhilarating. It means that taking action--no matter what the action is--might help you feel better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-find-placebos-uplifting-and-exhilarating-it-means-that-taking/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“This book is also not about denial. None of the methods you’ll read about here involve denying whatever health condition you may presently have.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dispenza/this-book-is-also-not-about-denial-none-of-the-methods-you-ll-read/) [Joe Dispenza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dispenza/) > [Either it is true that a medicine works or it isn't. It cannot be false in the ordinary sense but true in some alternative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/either-it-is-true-that-a-medicine-works-or-it-isn-t-it-cannot-be/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Many traffic signs have become like placebos, giving false comfort to the afflicted, or simple boilerplate to ward off lawsuits, the roadway version of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-vanderbilt/many-traffic-signs-have-become-like-placebos-giving-false-comfort-to/) [Tom Vanderbilt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-vanderbilt/) > [You have to believe in a placebo or it won't work, but if it works, it's obviously working in some indirect way, through feedback…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-jencks/you-have-to-believe-in-a-placebo-or-it-won-t-work-but-if-it-works-it/) [Charles Jencks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-jencks/) > [In all technai or arts (medicine perhaps most of all), there is a self-exhilaration on the part of the practitioner (the intoxication of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-smith/in-all-technai-or-arts-medicine-perhaps-most-of-all-there-is-a-self/) [Kenny Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-smith/) > [There is a major problem with reliance on placebos, like most vitamins and antioxidants. Everyone gets upset about Big Science, Big Pharma, but they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-specter/there-is-a-major-problem-with-reliance-on-placebos-like-most-vitamins/) [Michael Specter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-specter/) > [“When it comes to dead bodies in current psychotropic trials, there are a greater number of them in the active treatment groups than in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-whitaker/when-it-comes-to-dead-bodies-in-current-psychotropic-trials-there-are/) [Robert Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-whitaker/) > [“Subliminal cuing and unconscious priming influence numerous behaviors unrelated to this book. People think potato chips taste better when hearing crunching sounds. We like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/subliminal-cuing-and-unconscious-priming-influence-numerous-behaviors/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [“The gun, my young friend, is that dark cousin of the placebo, the nocebo. If a placebo provides false benefits, the nocebo imparts false…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-gregory/the-gun-my-young-friend-is-that-dark-cousin-of-the-placebo-the-nocebo/) [Daryl Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-gregory/) > [“Time is a placebo medication, it only helps you if you believe it can, it only heals you if you let it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-edward-lee-miller/time-is-a-placebo-medication-it-only-helps-you-if-you-believe-it-can/) [Cody Edward Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-edward-lee-miller/) > [I became a human placebo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-sherman/i-became-a-human-placebo/) [Bobby Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-sherman/) [Browse all 65 Placebo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/placebo/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The placebo effect has an evil twin known as the nocebo effect. 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