This Book May Cause Side Effects: Why Our Minds Are Making Us Sick

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. Medica...