Treatment Of Severe Depression
Q: The placebo effect is the phenomenon that a patient's symptoms can be
alleviated by an otherwise ineffective treatment, since the individual
expects or believes that it will work. Some people consider this to be
a remarkable aspect of human physiology; others consider it to be an
illusion arising from the way medical experiments were conducted.
A:In the opposite effect, a patient who disbelieves in a treatment may
experience a worsening of symptoms. This nocebo effect (Latin nocebo,
"I shall harm") can be measured in the same way as the placebo effect,
e.g., when members of a control group receiving an inert substance
report a worsening of symptoms. The recipients of the inert substance
may nullify the placebo effect intended by simply having a negative
attitude towards the effectiveness of the substance prescribed, which
often leads to a nocebo effect, which is not caused by the substance
itself, but more the patient's mentality towards her or his ability to
get well.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Placebo_effect
Health psychologists have found that an optimistic attitude and
behavior are linked to better reports of physical health and faster
recovery from illnesses. Studies show that usually people with an
optimistic attitude return to normal recreational, social, and sexual
activities within six months after diagnosis and treatment