This Book May Cause Side Effects cover art

This Book May Cause Side Effects

Why Our Minds Are Making Us Sick

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This Book May Cause Side Effects

By: Helen Pilcher
Narrated by: Helen Pilcher
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Illness is not simply a matter of biology. Our thoughts, conscious or otherwise, can make us feel pain or become unwell. If you experienced side effects from your Covid vaccine, the chances are that these were caused by your belief that you would experience them. When a nurse tells you 'this is going to hurt', it generally does - but perhaps it shouldn't.

In this revelatory study, neuroscientist Helen Pilcher explores the hidden impact of the 'nocebo effect' - the placebo's evil twin. Medical studies have proven the nocebo effect to cause pain, nausea, paralysis, seizures, and even blindness. The nocebo effect impacts how we grow sick and grow old, explains why people who don't have food allergies have dietary intolerances, and why adults and teenagers are equally susceptible to catching tics through social media.

From Havana Syndrome to hex deaths, chronic pain and mystery illnesses, this book explains what happens when illness, psychology and society meet - and shows us what we can do to become less ill and more well.©2026 Helen Pilcher (P)2026 W.F. Howes Ltd History History & Commentary History & Philosophy Medicine & Health Care Industry Neuroscience & Neuropsychology Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Science Mental Health Health Nutrition
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This book develops the nocebo concept to demonstrate the nonsense of trying to understand illness as either physical or psychological in nature, as sadly so many doctors and patients still do, to their detriment. The chapter on well documented deaths being caused by curses or by incorrect diagnoses of terminal cancer is particularly fascinating

A very engaging exploration of the nocebo effect in health, sickness and death.

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