Placebo vs. Nocebo The placebo effect shows us something powerful: belief can reduce symptoms, improve outcomes, and change physiology. The nocebo effect shows the opposite: expectation can worsen symptoms, amplify fear, and create suffering that wasn’t inevitable. Neither is “all in your head.” Both are real brain–body responses. The uncomfortable truth? The stories we’re told — and the stories we tell ourselves — matter more than we’ve been taught. Call to action: Do you think people can escap