Placebo versus Necebo

Placebo effect, when your body reacts positively to a neutral substance that you think is medication. One reason why placebos might work is taking a placebo you believe will make you healthier may spur you to adopt other healthy behaviors, such as exercise and making better food choices. The opposite of a placebo—when someone is told a drug will cause harm, whether or not that’s the case—is called the nocebo effect, which can produce a measurable reduction in health and negate medication’s positive effects.